Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Bombay High Court Questions Voter Exclusion in SIR Draft Rolls
The Bombay High Court’s Goa bench heard a case about people missing from a draft voter list.
Paresh Salgaonkar and members of his family brought the case.
The judges said this could create a “catch-22.”
A person might be told to apply for help but then be turned away because their name is not on the draft list.
The court said the existing voter list must also be considered.
It said eligible voters should not be left out.
The Election Commission’s lawyer said its guidelines provide for an earlier roll that remains in force.
The court was due to hear more arguments on Tuesday.
The Bombay High Court’s Goa bench said voters omitted from the Special Intensive Revision draft roll could face a “complete catch-22.”
The bench questioned how excluded voters could seek a remedy if the Election Commission did not consider the existing roll.
The case was brought by Goa resident Paresh Salgaonkar and family members left out of the electoral rolls during the SIR exercise.
The judges said officials should not refuse to hear a voter seeking to relocate through Form 8 because their name is missing from the draft roll.
The Election Commission’s lawyer said its guidelines provide for an earlier roll that remains in force; the hearing was due to continue Tuesday.
- Who
- The Bombay High Court’s Goa bench, the Election Commission of India, and petitioners including Paresh Salgaonkar and family members.
- What
- The court questioned how voters omitted from the SIR draft roll can seek a remedy and said eligible voters should not be excluded.
- When
- The court made its observations on Monday; arguments were due to continue Tuesday.
- Where
- The Bombay High Court’s Goa bench.
- Why
- The petition concerns people left out of electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision and how they can challenge their exclusion.
Court’s concerns
Election Commission’s position
Which roll should be considered?
Court’s concerns
The court said the existing roll must be considered and questioned how an excluded voter could obtain a remedy if the process relied only on the draft roll.
Election Commission’s position
The Election Commission’s lawyer said its guidelines provide for an earlier roll, which remains in force.
Applications from voters who moved
Court’s concerns
The court said an eligible voter should not be refused a hearing because the system does not allow an application when the voter’s name is absent from the draft roll.
Election Commission’s position
The Election Commission’s lawyer argued that people moving between constituencies can apply to transfer their Electoral Photo Identity Card to the current segment using Form 8.
- Proceeding
- Writ petition hearing
- Revision process
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
- Petitioners
- Goa resident Paresh Salgaonkar and family members
- Bench
- Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar
- Court’s concern
- Voters missing from the draft roll may have difficulty seeking a remedy if the existing roll is not considered.
- ECI response
- Its lawyer said the guidelines provide for an earlier roll that remains in force.
- Next step
- The court was due to continue hearing arguments on Tuesday.
