The Bombay High Court’s Kolhapur circuit bench on Monday said it will hear a writ petition by four residents and registered voters on October 22, citing an investigation into the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Maharashtra.

Since advocate Asim Sarode had sought an urgent hearing of the petition, a bench of Justices Sharmila U Deshmukh and Neeraj P Dhote orally questioned the petitioners, saying, “Whether it is supposed to go before the Principal Seat (in Mumbai)? What is urgent about it? Is it a PIL? Since it’s a writ petition, what private right do you have against the Election Commission?”

“We have filed a writ petition on behalf of the citizens who are voters who feel their rights are being infringed,” the lawyer responded and sought for the plea to be heard on Monday by putting it on the production list, as it was not listed on Monday, September 28, or on Tuesday, September 29.

Story continues below.
Subscribe to see fewer ads.

“How is the production sought when notices are issued? We will see that on October 22,” the bench said.

What does the plea mention?

The plea before the Bombay High Court seeks directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to place on record 14  “unilateral administrative orders” and modifications, restore all deleted Maharashtra voters, and quash SIR directions for the state.

It also seeks an independent judicial committee headed by a former Bombay HC judge to investigate data deletions and software blockages.

The petition alleged that the EC and CEC Gyanesh Kumar arbitrarily passed administrative orders “singlehandedly”, violating Section 18 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act.

Story continues below this ad

It also sought that all forthcoming Assembly elections be put on hold “until fresh, untainted, and legally compliant electoral rolls are approved by a statutory majority of the multi-member Election Commission”.

Meanwhile, another bench led by Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi of the high court at the principal seat in Mumbai on Monday said it will list and hear on October 5 another writ petition filed by two residents raising concerns over the “collection of documents during enumeration and exclusion based on uncollectible status”.

Advocate Prakash Ambedkar mentioned the plea filed on September 3 seeking urgent hearing.

“What is the urgency?” A bench of CJ Tripathi and Justice Advait M Sethna asked. Ambedkar responded that nearly 2 crore voters will be deleted from the list and that the plea required urgent hearing, after which the HC posted it to October 5.