A high-profile legal move by the INDIA bloc, led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists has hit a technical roadblock. After a massive march from Mandi House to the Supreme Court, the petition was filed late Monday evening. However, the Supreme Court registry has flagged 14 technical defects, preventing the petition from being listed for hearing immediately.
Missing Signatures on Vakalatnama and Short Court Fee
According to the objections raised by the registry, the writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution suffers from several procedural lapses. The most notable objection pertains to petitioners 3 through 11, whose Vakalatnamas are either unavailable or lack signatures from the respective leaders. Prominent opposition figures whose signatures are missing include Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, D. Raja of the CPI, Sanjay Raut, Supriya Sule, Mahua Maji, Saugata Roy, M. A. Baby, and E. T. Mohammed Basheer.
Additionally, the registry has asked for a clear and legible copy of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's identity card. In a surprising clerical oversight, the court fee submitted for the petition was found to be short by Rs 220.
Questions Over Impleading Election Commissioners Personally
INDIA bloc's petition against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists faces hurdles as Supreme Court registry finds 14 flaws. #SupremeCourt #RahulGandhi #IndiaAlliance
— The Freelance (@TheFreelanceIN) March 3, 2025
The registry has also raised a significant legal question regarding the petition, asking why individual Election Commissioners have been made respondents in person. Furthermore, directives have been issued to provide digital copies of documents related to the Election Commission's June 24, 2025 decision on SIR in a pen drive.
What is the INDIA Bloc Demanding?
The opposition alliance's petition seeks to place the complete record of the Election Commission's decisions concerning the SIR before the court. This includes files related to the initiation of the process on June 24, 2025, meeting agendas, proceedings, and objections recorded by the Election Commissioners. However, these 14 technical hurdles must be rectified before the matter can be listed for judicial scrutiny.
This report is based on official records and public domain updates regarding the Supreme Court registry's objections. 'The Freelance' verifies the accuracy of these procedural details. Courtesy: Supreme Court Registry / Media Reports.
National Desk, The Freelance
Verified Editorial DeskPolitics, Governance & Public Interest Reporting Team
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