Supreme Court Requests ECI Affidavit Regarding Increase of Electors Per Polling Station to 1,500
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New Delhi, Dec 2 (NationPress) The Supreme Court has summoned an affidavit from the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding its initiative to elevate the number of electors per polling station from 1,200 to 1,500. A bench led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna instructed the poll body to submit a brief affidavit within three weeks, outlining the reasoning behind this decision.
The bench, which also included Justice Sanjay Kumar, emphasized that no voter should experience difficulties when visiting a polling station to exercise their right to vote.
"Submit a short affidavit explaining the situation; our concern is that no voter should face any trouble," the bench stated.
A public interest litigation (PIL) presented to the apex court challenges the ECI's decision, describing it as "irrational, unreasonable, and manifestly arbitrary," suggesting it could lead to the disenfranchisement of vulnerable daily wage earners who are required to work.
The petition aims to protect the fundamental principles of democracy, asserting that elections should not only be free and fair but also perceived as such, ensuring equal participation of all electors in the electoral process.
The plea further noted that the adverse effects of the disputed decision would be particularly significant in rural areas, where inadequate transportation and increased travel times to polling stations, along with longer waiting lines, could deter many rural voters from engaging in the electoral process.
It argued that raising the upper limit for electors per polling station is tantamount to "voter disenfranchisement," systematically excluding specific demographics from the electoral process and undermining the principles of fair and free elections. This change disproportionately affects marginalized communities and low-income groups, including daily wage workers, rickshaw pullers, maids, drivers, vendors, and others who risk losing income due to prolonged waiting.
"By establishing a higher limit, authorities have unintentionally erected barriers to voting, especially for those with limited scheduling flexibility or physical challenges. As a result, merely increasing the number of electors per polling station, instead of adding more polling stations or electronic voting machines (EVMs), can disenfranchise voters," the petition contended.
