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Gujarat HC issues notice to govt, poll panel on pleas alleging ‘mass deletion’ of voters during SIR

Gujarat HC issued notice on pleas seeking an SIT probe into alleged mass voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

3 min readMay 10, 2026 09:46 AM IST

Gujarat High Court has issued notice to the state government and election authorities on petitions alleging large-scale misuse of Form 7 applications to delete genuine voters during the Special Intensive Revision process. (File Photo)

The Gujarat High Court on Friday issued notice to the state government and election authorities in two similar petitions seeking directions to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the “large-scale misuse and abuse of Form No. 7 applications” to “target and seek deletion of names of genuine voters, particularly from a community” in parts of the state Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The two petitions were filed by Mehandihasan Naqvi of Kodinar in Gir Somnath district, while the second was moved by former Siddhpur Congress MLA Chandanji Talaji Thakor along with Abdul Hamid Mokenjiya and Abdulrehman Rangrej from Siddhpur in Patan district. While Naqvi is the president of the Kodinar City Congress Committee and Mokenjiya is the president of the Siddhpur Taluka Congress Committee, Rangrej has identified himself as vice-president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, Siddhpur.

The respondents in the two matters include the State of Gujarat, the Chief Electoral Officer, the State Election Commission, the District Election Officer concerned, the Mamlatdar and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), and local police authorities including the Police Inspector of Kodinar Police Station and officials from Siddhpur Police Station.

Both petitions challenge the conduct of the SIR exercise initiated by the Election Commission of India and allege “large-scale misuse and abuse of Form No. 7” — the statutory form used for objections seeking deletion of names from electoral rolls. The petitioners contend that thousands of objections were filed in bulk without lawful verification, allegedly with the intention of disenfranchising genuine voters.

Also Read | SIR in 10 states, three Union Territories so far: Electoral rolls trimmed by 5.58 crore, most in Gujarat, UP

Both petitions argue that filing false declarations in Form No. 7 attracts penal consequences under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and also constitutes offences under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The petitioners have sought court-monitored action, including registration of complaints, criminal proceedings and constitution of a SIT for a “fair, impartial and time-bound investigation” into the alleged abuse of the electoral revision process.

Naqvi’s petition alleges that around 47 individuals filed as many as 6,722 Form No. 7 applications, “seeking deletion of names of thousands of genuine voters including the name of the present Petitioner.” While the Siddhpur petition does not specify an exact total number of voter names sought to be deleted across the constituency, it contends that “some individuals have filed Form No. 7 applications in bulk, seeking deletion of names of voters including that of Rangrej.

In an oral order on Friday, the HC issued notice to the respondents, returnable on the next date of hearing on July 7.

Aditi Raja

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 More

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