Latest news with #ElectionManual
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Congress' demand for digital electoral rolls
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): Sources within the Election Commission of India (ECI) have clarified that the Indian National Congress' (INC) ongoing demand for machine-readable, digital copies of electoral rolls is 'not legally tenable' and has already been conclusively settled by the Supreme Court. Officials pointed out that this issue was earlier raised by former Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee President Kamal Nath in 2018 through written petition (C) No. 935 of 2018. The Supreme Court had definitively ruled in favour of the Election Commission's position in that case. While acknowledging that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has been demanding digital electoral rolls for the past seven months, ECI sources said that this is part of a Congress strategy spanning over eight years. They added that this fact 'appears to have been selectively obscured in the present representation.' The sources said that although Rahul Gandhi's demand is consistent with the Congress party's historical position, it cannot be accommodated within the current legal framework. The matter has already been legally settled through a Supreme Court judgment in the case of Kamal Nath vs. Election Commission of India. Rahul Gandhi 'may not have been appropriately apprised of the finality with which the matter stands concluded in judicial record,' they said. In its 2019 judgment, the Supreme Court specifically addressed whether voter lists should be supplied to political parties in searchable text mode rather than PDF format. 'The draft electoral roll in that mode i.e. text mode, has been supplied to the petitioner,' the Supreme Court noted, adding that the Election Manual's Clause 11.2.2.2 uses the expression 'text mode' but 'nowhere says that the draft electoral roll has to be put up on the Chief Electoral Officer's website in a 'searchable PDF'.' The apex court upheld the ECI's decision to provide electoral rolls only in 'Image PDF' format in the public domain. The judgment stated that the current format 'fulfils the requirement contained in the Election Manual.' The court also noted that if political parties require searchable formats, 'he can always convert it into searchable mode, which of course, would require him to put his own efforts.' ECI sources further emphasised that the Commission's instructions dated January 4, 2018, directing field functionaries to provide only 'Image PDF' versions of electoral rolls, remain valid and have been judicially endorsed. The clarification comes amid renewed political debate over electoral transparency and access to voter data, with the Congress party continuing to press for enhanced digital access despite the settled legal position.' (ANI)
Hans India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Rahul Gandhi's demand for digital voter list legally untenable: Experts
New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's persistent demand that ECI provide machine-readable digital copies of the voter lists for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and subsequent Vidhan Sabha elections appears to be legally untenable, said constitutional experts and sources on Thursday. Election Commission of India insiders said an earlier Supreme Court verdict has already settled the matter in favour of the poll panel. They suggest that LoP Rahul Gandhi's repeated attempts to rake up the demand for 'machine-readable digital copies' are nothing more than a publicity stunt, as the apex court has already ruled against such a demand. Poll panel insiders shared excerpts of the Supreme Court's verdict on a writ petition filed in 2018 by Kamal Nath, the then president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, that said, 'The format in which the draft electoral roll is supplied to the petitioner fulfils the requirement contained in the Election Manual.' 'If the petitioner so wants, he can always convert it into searchable mode, which, of course, would require him to put his own efforts,' said the Supreme Court judgment. Insiders in the ECI have shed light on the apex court judgment in the backdrop of LoP Rahul Gandhi's allegation of 'fixed election' in Maharashtra last November and the Election Commission's invitation to him to sit for a doubt-clearing session, an offer which he has not accepted yet. 'While it is factually correct that Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, has been demanding a machine-readable, digital copy of the electoral roll for the last seven months, such a demand by the Congress is not new,' said an official source. The demand, it seems, is part of a strategy by the Congress for well over eight years, a fact that appears to have been selectively obscured in the present representation, he said. 'The position historically maintained by the Indian National Congress is not tenable within the contours of the prevailing legal framework. It may be recalled that this very issue has already been agitated by the Congress before none other than the highest constitutional court of the country,' he said. An ECI insider cited the Supreme Court decision on the matter, which said: 'We find force in the submission of ECI. Clause 11.2.2.2 of the Election Manual uses the expression 'text mode'. The draft electoral roll in that mode, i.e. text mode, has been supplied to the petitioner. The clause nowhere says that the draft electoral roll has to be put up on the Chief Electoral Officer's website in a 'searchable PDF'.' 'Therefore, the petitioner cannot claim, as a right, that the draft electoral roll should be placed on the website in a 'searchable mode'. It has only to be in 'text mode' and it is so provided,' said the SC verdict, quoted by the expert.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
EC says Congress' demand for digital copy of Maharashtra voters' list ‘not tenable': Report
A day after the Congress urged the Election Commission to provide a machine-readable digital copy of Maharashtra's voters' list, PTI reported on Thursday, citing poll body sources, that the demand is 'not tenable' under the existing legal framework. Congress seeks digital voter list, polling day footage from Maharashtra, Haryana.(HT File ) They also added that a similar plea by the party was dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2019. The report added that while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been demanding a machine-readable digital copy of the electoral roll for the past seven months, poll body sources said the party's demand is 'not new.' "Rather, it forms part of a strategy by the political party for well over eight years, a fact that appears to have been selectively obscured in the present representation," an EC source told PTI The news agency, citing Election Commission sources, reported that while Rahul Gandhi's renewed demand is in line with the Congress party's long-standing position, it is 'not tenable within the contours of the prevailing legal framework.' The report added that the issue had already been raised before the Supreme Court in a 2018 writ petition filed by Kamal Nath, then president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee. The sources reportedly said that Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, may not have been fully apprised of the finality with which the matter was settled in judicial records. Referring to the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict in Kamal Nath vs Election Commission of India, the report quoted sources as saying that the court had found merit in the EC's submissions. They pointed out that Clause 11.2.2.2 of the Election Manual refers to 'text mode,' and that the draft electoral roll in that format had already been provided to the petitioner, as noted by the apex court. 'The clause nowhere says that the draft electoral roll has to be put up on the Chief Electoral Officer's website in a 'searchable PDF'. Therefore, the petitioner cannot claim, as a right, that the draft electoral roll should be placed on the website in a 'searchable mode'. It has only to be in 'text mode' and it is so provided,' the apex court had observed. On Wednesday, the Congress urged the Election Commission to provide a machine-readable digital copy of Maharashtra's voters' list, along with polling day video footage from both Maharashtra and Haryana, within a week. Both the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have repeatedly accused the poll body of manipulating voter data to benefit the BJP. Gandhi has also alleged that last year's Maharashtra assembly elections were rigged. The Election Commission has rejected these allegations, saying that elections are conducted strictly in accordance with electoral laws enacted by Parliament.
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘Not tenable': ECI sources on Congress seeking digital copy of Maharashtra voters' list
A day after the Congress urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide machine-readable digital copy of the Maharashtra voters' list, ECI sources on Thursday (June 26, 2025) said the demand is "not tenable" under the prevailing legal framework, asserting that a similar plea of the party was junked by the Supreme Court in 2019. The ECI sources said while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been demanding for machine-readable, digital copy of the electoral roll for the last seven months, such demand by the Congress is "not new". 'Rather, it forms part of a strategy by the political party for well over eight years, a fact that appears to have been selectively obscured in the present representation,' an ECI source pointed out. The ECI sources said the demand reiterated by Mr. Gandhi, albeit consistent with the position historically maintained by the Congress, is "not tenable within the contours of the prevailing legal framework". They pointed out that the issue was already agitated by the Congress before the Supreme Court in a writ petition in 2018 filed by Kamal Nath, the then president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee. It appears that Mr. Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, may not have been appropriately apprised of the finality with which the matter stands concluded in judicial record, they said. Referring to the Supreme Court's verdict in Kamal Nath vs Election Commission of India, (2019), the sources said that top court had observed that it found force in the submission of ECI. Clause 11.2.2.2 of the Election Manual uses the expression "text mode". The draft electoral roll in text mode has been supplied to the petitioner, the apex court had said. 'The clause nowhere says that the draft electoral roll has to be put up on the Chief Electoral Officer's website in a 'searchable PDF'. Therefore, the petitioner cannot claim, as a right, that the draft electoral roll should be placed on the website in a 'searchable mode'. It has only to be in 'text mode' and it is so provided,' the apex court had observed. The Congress on Wednesday (June 25, 2025) urged the ECI to provide machine-readable digital copy of the Maharashtra voters' list along with video footage of polling day of the state and Haryana within a week. The Congress and Mr. Gandhi have consistently accused the poll authority of fudging voter data to help the BJP. Mr. Gandhi has alleged that the Maharashtra Assembly polls held last year were rigged. The poll authority has denied the allegations, saying elections are strictly held under electoral laws passed by Parliament.
New Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Demand not tenable: EC rejects Congress' plea for machine-readable Maharashtra voters' list
NEW DELHI: A day after the Congress urged the Election Commission to provide machine-readable digital copy of the Maharashtra voters' list, EC sources on Thursday said the demand is "not tenable" under the prevailing legal framework, asserting that a similar plea of the party was junked by the Supreme Court in 2019. The EC sources said while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been demanding for machine-readable, digital copy of the electoral roll for the last seven months, such demand by the Congress is "not new". "Rather, it forms part of a strategy by the political party for well over eight years, a fact that appears to have been selectively obscured in the present representation," an EC source pointed out. The EC sources said the demand reiterated by Gandhi, albeit consistent with the position historically maintained by the Congress, is "not tenable within the contours of the prevailing legal framework". They pointed out that the issue was already agitated by the Congress before the Supreme Court in a writ petition in 2018 filed by Kamal Nath, the then president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee. "It appears that Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, may not have been appropriately apprised of the finality with which the matter stands concluded in judicial record," they said. Referring to the Supreme Court's verdict in Kamal Nath vs Election Commission of India, (2019), the sources said that top court had observed that it found force in the submission of EC. Clause 11.2.2.2 of the Election Manual uses the expression "text mode".
