KIRIT SOMAIYA Vs. CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE present petition is filed by the petitioner as a social worker seeking the direction from this Hon'ble Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India that the respondents should be directed to revise and rectify the Electoral Rolls of all the electoral constituencies both assembly and Parliamentary in the State of Maharashtra as an intensive revision of the rolls.

(2.) THE petitioner who was a member of Parliament in the 13th Lok Sabha recently contested from the Mumbai Northeast Parliamentary Constituency in the General Election of 14th Lok Sabha. It is the case of the petitioner that in the course of the said Election it was found that large number of voters names are either missing or a totally bogus names are inserted. In some cases the persons name are shown in different place and different area then in an area he is actually residing. In a nut shell it is the case of the petitioner that there are large number of discrepancies in the electoral roll of the various parliamentary Constituency in the State of Maharashtra. It is further contended that since now Maharashtra Assembly Election are due, it is necessary that an intensive revision of rolls is undertaken by the respondent. It is his case that the revision of Electoral Rolls and the programme which has been announced by the respondents is only a summary revision of the electoral roll and is not an intensive revision. It is his further case that the summary revision of electoral roll would not rectify the various large scale discrepancies existing in the electoral rolls. It is therefore, contended that the respondent should be directed to undertake intensive of electoral roll and not the summary revision.

(3.) THE learned Counsel appearing for the respondent particularly the Chief election Officer of the State has filed his affidavit inter alia pointing out that the summary revision of electoral roll is already in progress and a time table has been set up for such a summary revision of the rolls. He has pointed out various dates which are stipulated for the purpose of conducting the said summary revision of electoral rolls.