Supreme Court Declines Duplicate Voter List Petition

The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking the removal of duplicate voter entries. The petitioner, Rashtrawadi Adarsh Mahasangh, was advised to take the matter to high courts or relevant authorities. The outfit is concerned about widespread voter list discrepancies affecting the integrity of India's electoral process.

The Supreme Court of India on Monday refused to entertain a petition aimed at addressing duplicate and multiple voter entries in the electoral lists. The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, suggested that the petitioner approaches higher courts or relevant authorities with their grievances.

The court deemed the petition inappropriate for Article 32, indicating it involved localized and state-specific issues. "It is open for Rashtrawadi Adarsh Mahasangh to make detailed representations to appropriate authorities and the jurisdictional High Court if necessary," the bench clarified.

Rashtrawadi Adarsh Mahasangh, a registered political group, represented by advocates Avadh Bihari Kaushik and others, sought urgent action on voter list discrepancies, citing a statutory requirement under the Representation of People Act. They requested the establishment of a Special Investigating Team to oversee the correction process and a report submission to the court, highlighting the potential undermining of Indian democracy.

(With inputs from agencies.)