Delhi SIR: Supreme Court to hear plea seeking names, reasons for notices

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The petitioners have also sought disclosure of the official criteria, definitions, algorithmic parameters and operational guidelines governing the classification of voters under 'logical discrepancies'. (File Photo)The Supreme Court will take up a plea on September 22 seeking disclosure of the names of those to whom notices were issued and the reasons given during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi.A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said it will hear the petition along with other pending SIR-related matters.Appearing for the petitioners, Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri, Advocate Prashant Bhushan told the bench that, apart from the 47 lakh-plus names deleted from the draft electoral roll, 33 lakh people have been issued notices on two grounds.Bhushan added that one is a logical discrepancy and the other is that they say the voters are unmapped.Also Read | A third of Delhi voters dropped from draft list after SIR“They have not disclosed, though their rule say they must disclose on their website, the names of the people to whom notices are being issued. Some people get notices, some people don’t. The notices do not mention the reason why they are being asked to come (before electoral authorities),” Bhushan told the bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.“They have also not disclosed what the basis is for flagging somebody as a logical discrepancy. It’s totally opaque.”The petitioners have alleged violations of fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21, and constitutional rights under Articles 325 and 326, and sought directions to publish a consolidated, searchable list of all electors issued notices during the Delhi SIR, along with their addresses and the specific reason or category for each notice.Story continues below this adAlso Read | BJP vs AAP over Delhi SIR list: India’s population will be cut to 1/3rd, says Arvind KejriwalThey have also sought disclosure of the official criteria, definitions, algorithmic parameters and operational guidelines governing the classification of voters under ‘Logical Discrepancies’.They have also urged the court to direct authorities to specify the precise discrepancy and material facts forming the basis of each notice, so that voters can effectively participate in the hearing process, and to restrain the deletion of names from electoral rolls following proceedings based on vague notices that do not disclose the relevant factual particulars.