Consider plea over duplicate entries in voter list: Delhi HC to EC

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Election Commission to consider at an appropriate stage a plea raising concerns over alleged duplication of names in the capital's voter list and adopt such technological tools that would assist it in eliminating such duplication.

As the petitioner's counsel remarked that the Delhi assembly elections would be over by the time the Commission would consider his plea, a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru said, "before every election these matters come."  "There is a process for revision of electoral roll. It can't be done at this stage," the bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, said.

The petitioner remarked that even the "ex-chief minister" was aggrieved by the issue.

Advocate Sidhant Kumar, appearing for the Election Commission, said the petition did not show a single instance of alleged duplication.

He further stated that the Commission has already undertaken the necessary procedure for revision of electoral rolls and even the Supreme Court has considered the issue.

"He said there are two tools. If you think there are comparable tools that you have used, it's alright. You don't have to do anything. If you find these tools are better, consider it. We are only asking you to not close your mind," the court told the EC's counsel.

"In view of the above, we consider it apposite to dispose of the petition by directing the respondents (Election Commission and Delhi Chief Election Officer) to consider the averments made in the petition at an appropriate stage. Needless to state that if the Commission finds technological tools that would assist the Commission in eliminating duplicate names, the same would be adopted," the court ordered.

Petitioner Rashtravadi Aadarsh Mahasangh -- a political party-- alleged in its PIL that the voter list in Delhi has several duplicate entries and necessary steps had not been taken for removal of such names.

The plea stated that there were certain technological tools that could be deployed to detect duplication and therefore prayed that a direction should be issued to the Election authorities to adopt the same and eliminate such entries.