Delhi HC Rejects Plea Over Voter Roll Enumeration For Homeless People

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation petition alleging that the Election Commission of India's house-to-house enumeration process for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls could disenfranchise homeless people in New Delhi. The court determined that sufficient safeguards and mechanisms already exist to ensure citizens without a fixed address are enrolled.

A bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia held that the petitioner's apprehensions were unfounded. The judges noted that the existing administrative framework already properly provides for the enrolment of homeless individuals across the capital.

During the hearing, the court referred to extracts of the draft electoral roll that had been placed on record. These official extracts established that homeless individuals had already been documented and included in the voter lists.

The bench observed that the extract of the draft electoral roll clearly showed the category of homeless persons with their name, age, gender, photograph, and the house number designated as '0'. The judges stated that this clearly demonstrates that the Election Commission of India is already implementing the process of including homeless persons in the roll as outlined in its manual during the Special Intensive Revision exercise.

Ruling on the petition filed by Indu Prakash Singh, the High Court concluded that there was no vacuum in the existing statutory mechanism. Finding no grounds to intervene, the bench affirmed that none of the prayers sought in the petition deserved to be granted.

The court also evaluated claims regarding the disenfranchisement of people displaced by local demolition drives. The judges termed the allegations regarding the exclusion of residents affected by demolitions as bald averments that lacked supporting substance.

The bench further clarified that any elector who finds themselves excluded from the electoral roll because of a demolition or relocation is not without recourse. The court noted that such individuals can directly apply for inclusion in the roll by submitting Form 6 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.