3 min readVadodaraApr 10, 2026 01:50 AM ISTThe petitioner also specifically indicated the page numbers to the court to show that residents of the apartment complex had been included in a series of verified voters together, the court order noted.The Gujarat High Court on Thursday directed the State Election Commission to include the name of a man from the Chharvada assembly constituency in the electoral roll for the upcoming Vapi Municipal Corporation polls, scheduled to be held on April 26, after his name was found to have been excluded from the list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.The division bench of Justice NSS Gowda and Justice JL Odedra, which passed the second such order this week, was hearing a petition filed by Shashankkumar Mishra, who claimed that his name had been deleted from the voter list for the Chharvada constituency in the month of December 2025 and, at his request, it was included in the preliminary electoral rolls of February 17, 2026. Mishra’s case is that despite this fact, his name was found to have been excluded from the electoral roll prepared for the Vapi Municipal Corporation.In his submission, Mishra informed the court that once his name had been included in the electoral roll of the assembly constituency, which is the basis for the preparation of the electoral roll of the municipal corporation, it “cannot be excluded”. The petitioner also submitted that he is a resident of a colony in Ward No. 5 of the Vapi civic body and resides on the fourth floor of his apartment building. Mishra’s counsel pointed out that except for the petitioner, the names of all the people residing in the same apartment complex were included in the electoral roll.In a judgment on Thursday, the HC said, “The [authority] is directed to include the name of the petitioner in the electoral roll in respect of Ward No.5 of the Vapi Municipal Corporation. As a necessary consequence, the petitioner shall also be entitled to file his nomination, if he so desires, for the forthcoming elections.”The updated electoral roll is to be published on Friday.The petitioner also specifically indicated the page numbers to the court to show that residents of the apartment complex had been included in a series of verified voters together, the court order noted. Mishra’s submission was made in reply to the counsel for the State Election Commission submitting that the petitioner’s name was excluded as the “notified area” under which his name had reflected on the electoral rolls was “admittedly outside the geographical limits” of the Vapi civic body.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Gujarat High CourtVadodara