Supreme Court Highlights Deficiencies in Petition by Rahul Gandhi and INDIA Bloc Leaders
Supreme Court Raises Concerns Over Petition
File image of the Supreme Court of India. (Photo: X)
New Delhi, Oct 13: The registry of the Supreme Court has identified 14 issues in a joint petition submitted by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with other leaders from the INDIA coalition. They have raised concerns regarding extensive voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Sources indicate that the registry has requested the attorney representing the petitioners to provide a clear copy of the identity card belonging to Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also a co-petitioner.
The registry has pointed out issues such as illegible or absent pages and a deficit of Rs 220 in court fees. Additional objections include missing authorization documents and incomplete filing procedures.
Furthermore, the registry has requested digital copies, including those on a pen drive, of the Election Commission’s decision from June 24, 2025, to commence the revision, along with other pertinent records. Questions were also raised about the clarity of the supporting documents submitted with the petition.
As per reports regarding the registry's concerns, the petition, filed under diary number 64196/2026, has not yet been approved for a hearing.
On Monday, Gandhi and several opposition leaders marched to the Supreme Court to formally submit their plea, challenging the electoral roll revision process in court.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have been named as respondents in this case.
The petition, which reportedly consists of 124 pages including annexures, outlines 10 specific demands and alleges irregularities in the Chief Election Commissioner's exercise of authority.
Among its primary requests, the petition seeks an immediate suspension of the SIR process across all states.
Additionally, it calls for the establishment of an independent committee led by a retired Supreme Court judge, supported by technical experts and distinguished citizens, to audit the deletions and modifications made to electoral rolls during the revision process within a defined timeframe.
The plea also requests access to electoral roll databases and a review of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) procedures in accordance with international best practices, as reported by a legal website.