AJIT ANANT DESAI Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By this petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners who claim to be members of the respondent no.4- society have prayed for a writ of mandamus directing the respondent nos. 2 and 3 to postpone and or extend the date of raising objections to the provisional voters list as provided for in the notification dated 9th April, 2021 to a suitable date and direction to the respondents to not proceed with finalization of voters list pursuant to the notification dated 9th April, 2021.

(2.) Mr. Shah, learned Counsel for the petitioners invited our attention to the order dated 10th February, 2021 passed by this Court in Writ Petition No. 489 of 2021 in case of Ajit Anant Desai v/s. State of Maharashtra and Ors. and would submit that pursuant to the said order passed by this Court directing the Election Authority to proceed with the election process expeditiously, the Election Authority has issued a Notice on 9th April, 2021. He submits that the objections to the provisional voters list were to be raised by the concerned parties during the period between 12th April, 2021 and 22nd April, 2021.

(3.) Learned Counsel invited our attention to the order passed by the Government of Maharashtra on 21st April, 2021 thereby imposing lockdown in the State of Maharashtra till 1st May, 2021 upto 7:00 a.m. and would submit that in view of the stringent conditions imposed by the State of Maharashtra in the said order dated 21st April, 2021 it was not possible for the petitioners to collect documents to enable the petitioners to raise objections in respect of the provisional voters list.