The Supreme Court on Monday, October 26, issued notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a writ petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Maharashtra, Live Law reported. A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana posted the matter for November 5.

Source: Live Law

The Court declined to pass ex parte orders to extend the date for claims and objections or to restrain the ECI from publishing the final voters' list, saying it would not do so without hearing the Commission, LawChakra reported. The case is Arun Anandagiri v. Election Commission of India, Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1330 of 2026.

Source: LawChakra

Senior Advocate Arvind P. Datar, appearing for petitioner Arun Anandagiri, submitted — as the petitioner's allegation, not a court finding — that out of about 9 crore voters in the state, nearly 33 per cent (about 3 crore) have been struck off after the draft rolls were published, and 1.22 crore voters were deleted on the ground of 'logical discrepancy'. He submitted that in Pune and Mumbai, about 40 per cent of voters are not on the rolls, many of them relocated after redevelopment projects and deleted as 'person not found'. The ECI's response is awaited and the Court has recorded no finding on these figures.

Datar argued that deleted voters are being asked to file Form 6, meant for first-time voters, which requires a declaration that the applicant has not voted before, and sought a separate form for deleted voters. On the concern about prosecution, Chief Justice Surya Kant said, 'Nobody will be prosecuted,' Live Law reported.

By issuing notice but holding back interim relief, the Bench has kept both sides' positions open until November 5. The petitioner says the timeline leaves little room for deleted voters to be restored, while the Court has indicated it wants to hear the Commission before disturbing the schedule.