DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand High Court has intensified its scrutiny of alleged discrepancies in voter lists for the upcoming Panchayat elections, slated to begin in two phases from July 24. Amid challenging weather conditions, the court on Tuesday heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) from Uttarkashi, specifically addressing these anomalies.Following the hearing, the High Court issued a clear directive to the State Election Commission, demanding a comprehensive report on the matter within one week. This swift intervention underscores the judiciary’s urgency in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the crucial local body polls.This is not the first instance of the High Court intervening in voter registration issues for the state’s elections. Earlier, in a significant ruling based on a petition filed by Shakti Singh Barthwal, the court had already mandated stringent action. That order explicitly prohibited candidates from contesting elections if their names were found to be registered in two separate voter lists, emphasising the court’s commitment to fair and transparent electoral practices.The current PIL, filed by Ram Singh of Barkot, Uttarkashi, further intensifies scrutiny on the accuracy of voter rolls. Singh’s petition highlighted that while Barkot Nagar Palika has a population of 10,555, the initial voter list comprised 10,321 individuals. Subsequently, approximately 1,000 additional voters were included without proper identification of their original registration. An investigation by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) confirmed these concerns, identifying a staggering 2,695 voters whose names appeared on two separate voter lists.
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