New Delhi – The Supreme Court registry has flagged 14 procedural defects in a petition led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and 10 other Opposition figures, challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. These objections have temporarily halted the plea's path to an urgent hearing.
Key Defects Identified by the Registry
Among the significant issues cited by the registry are a shortfall of ₹220 in court fees and the submission of a blurred copy of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s identity card. The registry also noted missing or unsigned 'vakalatnamas'—authorizations for lawyers—for nine of the petitioners, including prominent figures like Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and Supriya Sule.
Further procedural concerns include unclear supporting documents and a request for clarification on why individual Election Commissioners, namely Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, and Vivek Joshi, have been named as private respondents in a writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution.
What the Rahul Gandhi EC Petition Seeks
The INDIA bloc's petition calls for several key interventions:
- An independent committee, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and assisted by technical experts, to audit all deletions and modifications made during the revision process.
- An interim suspension of the Special Intensive Revision across all states until the court rules on the petition's merits.
- Directions to ensure no voter is removed from the electoral roll without prior notice and a fair opportunity to be heard.
- Booth-wise publication of deleted voter names, reasons for deletion, and demographic breakdowns (gender, age).
- An effective mechanism to restore names of eligible voters.
- Access to EC files, agendas, minutes, and relevant access logs from the ECINET and ERONET systems related to the revision.
- Appropriate action against officials found responsible for violations under electoral laws.
Concerns Over Electoral Integrity
The petitioners argue that the alleged unilateral and arbitrary exercise of the Election Commission’s collective powers by the Chief Election Commissioner during the revision process raises serious concerns about electoral integrity and the constitutional rights of citizens to register and vote. They highlighted the situation in Punjab, where the draft electoral roll published in August 2026 reportedly showed a reduction of approximately 20.66 lakh names from an electorate of 2.14 crore recorded in June 2026.
This legal challenge follows Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's refusal to meet with Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday, who had sought to present a memorandum regarding concerns about the Chief Election Commissioner and other issues. The Chief Justice reiterated that matters pending before the Supreme Court would be heard at the earliest opportunity in accordance with the law.