GUWAHATI, Jan 29: The Gauhati High Court has taken up a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking judicial intervention into the alleged misuse of objections during the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam.
The PIL, filed by advocate F.Z. Mazumder under Article 226 of the Constitution, claims widespread misuse of Form-7 objections during the voter revision process in the state.
The petition alleges cases of impersonation, identity fraud, and administrative inaction, which have compromised transparency and the rights of eligible voters.
The advocate further requested the High Court to appoint an independent judicial inquiry, preferably led by a sitting or retired judge, to probe the alleged manipulation of the objection process and ensure that no eligible voter is removed from the rolls on the basis of forged complaints.
The High Court has asked the Centre, Assam government, Election Commission of India, and State Electoral Officer to submit their responses by February 24.
The court listing came in the wake of the Assam Trinamool Congress (TMC) issuing a statement, objecting to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remarks on alleged “vote theft” during the Special Revision process.
According to a statement, TMC’s state senior vice president Dulu Ahmed had written to the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, informing that the chief minister publicly acknowledged irregularities in the voter revision exercise even as he had not ordered any action against those allegedly involved in the manipulation.
Seeking suo-motu cognisance of communal statements by public functionaries, Ahmed further claimed that the Assam government has not taken any visible steps despite Opposition parties providing information related to alleged manipulation to the Election Commission.
He stated that the chief minister’s statements allegedly include “indications of removal of names of genuine Muslim voters from the electoral rolls, with mala fide intention and without any basis.”
The TMC leader also stated that such “repeated communal references” have the “potential to fuel religious sentiments” among Hindus and Muslims in the state.
