The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted petitioners 10 days to file a reply to the Election Commission of India's affidavit defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, PTI reported. The Commission maintained in its affidavit that the exercise was authorised by law and that the relevant orders were approved unanimously by all three members of the poll panel.

Source: PTI via OrangeNews9

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also issued notices to the poll panel and others on a fresh plea by Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen. Sen alleges, as an allegation yet to be tested by the court, that changes were made in Form 6 during the Bihar SIR without the approval of the top court.

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for Sen, told the court the Commission had accepted many of Sen's allegations in its affidavit and was now justifying the presentation of the declaration attached to Form 6, Bar and Bench reported. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, for the ECI, objected to those submissions.

Source: Bar and Bench

In its 248-page counter-affidavit, filed by Deputy Election Commissioner Bhanu Prakash Yeturu, the ECI rejected the contention that statutory Form 6 had been amended through its SIR orders. It said Form 6 can be amended only by the Central Government, that no change was made to the form itself, and that the declaration accompanying it is a separate document. The court has not ruled on the merits of either side's position.

The bench directed senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the first petitioner Rakesh Kumar Singh, to file a rejoinder within 10 days to the Commission's reply, which was filed late on Monday evening. The matter will be listed after 10 days, the court ordered.