Maharashtra SIR Row: SC Denies To Extend SIR Deadline, Seeks ECI Response On 33% Deletions

Amid the ongoing ECI-SIR dispute, the Supreme Court on Monday declined to extend the deadline for including names in Maharashtra's electoral rolls or for filing claims and objections under the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

However, the apex court issued notice to the Election Commission, seeking its response to a petition filed by Arun Anandgiri, which alleges that roughly 33 per cent of voters have been deleted from the state's electoral rolls during the SIR process.

This follows submissions by the petitioner that voters temporarily relocated due to redevelopment projects in Mumbai and Pune have been marked and deleted as "persons not found."

Senior Advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for the petitioner before a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana, noted that around 3,500 redevelopment projects are underway in Mumbai and Pune. With old housing colonies being demolished, thousands of people have been forced to relocate, putting their names at risk of deletion due to missing addresses and other details.

He stated that out of Maharashtra's 97.9 million total voters, about 20 million have been removed from the draft rolls, while another 12.2 million electors have been struck off over 'logical discrepancies.'

The demolition of old colonies and societies has forced thousands of residents to move elsewhere. These voters face a serious risk of having their names removed from the voter list due to mismatches with their current addresses and other details.

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Demand for a New Form and Deadline Extension

The senior counsel argued that the Election Commission should issue a new form for voters whose names already appeared in previous electoral lists. He contended that requiring existing voters to fill out Form 6 is incorrect, as that form is intended only for new voters registering for the first time, not for previously registered individuals.

The lawyer requested that the deadline for filing claims and objections be extended to give citizens adequate time to submit the required documents, and that the release of the final voter list be stayed until the court concludes its hearing.

The Court, however, refused to grant an extension immediately, assuring counsel that it will hear the case soon and issue directions if it determines an extension is necessary.

“Don’t worry. You are a whistleblower. You have come to us. Don’t worry. We can always extend the date. If we find that there are people who are yet to file their documents, we will. We have been extending dates in earlier (SIR) matters also," the CJI said. The case is scheduled for its next hearing on November 5.

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Earlier, the Election Commission of India extended the schedule for the SIR of electoral rolls in Maharashtra, with the final publication of the full roll now scheduled for November 16, 2026.

The deadline for filing claims and objections was previously extended from September 30 to October 12. Although the final roll was originally slated for publication on November 4, it will now be released on November 12. The period for electors' claims and objections to be disposed of will continue through November 10.