UP SIR: Supreme Court asks EC to take steps against bulk filing of Form 7s to delete voters

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Election Commission to take “corrective steps” against Form 7 applications filed in bulk to delete voters’ names during the special intensive revision in Uttar Pradesh, reported Bar and Bench.

Form 7 is used to object to the inclusion of a name or seek the deletion of an existing name from the electoral roll.

During the hearing, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked the petitioners to submit a note detailing the alleged irregularities in the voter roll revision process in Uttar Pradesh to the poll panel.

It directed the Election Commission to examine “the factual aspects” of the allegations and file a compliance report before the court.

This came after the advocate appearing for the poll panel acknowledged that Form 7 applications had been submitted in bulk during the special intensive revision, Live Law reported.

However, he said no action had been taken on the applications, as they were found to be false.

The petitioners disputed the poll panel’s claim, saying that 32 voter deletion applications had been filed against members of a “particular community” in one constituency. They added that two of these forms were signed by booth-level officers.

“There are material inconsistencies and irreconcilable facts,” Bar and Bench quoted the petitioner’s lawyer as saying.

The petitioner further alleged...

Read more