Bombay High Court directs ECI to reinstate seven Goa voters’ names within 10 days

The Bombay High Court in Goa on Thursday ordered the Election Commission of India to put the names of Paresh Salgaonkar and six of his relatives back on the electoral roll within ten days. The bench, comprising Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar, allowed the petition after reserving its verdict on Oct 13. Salgaonkar, who lives in the Santa Cruz constituency of north Goa, had filed a petition after his name and those of his family were missing from the draft roll despite submitting Form 8 for an address change. He declined to file Form 6, saying it would be a false declaration because he was not a first‑time voter and had not shifted constituencies. Advocate Vivek Rodrigues argued that the family’s Form 8, filed on Dec 2, 2025, was rejected on the final date of objections, leaving them no chance to appeal, and that the omission carried over to the final roll released on Feb 21. Senior advocate Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, representing the ECI, explained that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) creates a fresh roll from scratch, unlike a routine SSR, and that only voters who submit an enumeration form appear in the draft. He said a missing name in the draft does not automatically mean deletion, but the voter must file Form 6 with a declaration during the claims‑and‑objections period to be listed in the final roll. The court’s order therefore directs the commission to restore the seven names promptly, correcting the omission.

Context

A Special Intensive Revision is used before major elections to verify every voter’s details, resetting the roll rather than merely updating it. Because the roll is rebuilt, any omission requires a fresh application, which can trap voters who miss the deadline. The court’s intervention highlights the need for clear procedures to protect voter rights.