Karnataka SIR: High Court Issues Notice On Plea Against SEC's 'Parallel' Electoral Roll Revision In Greater Bengaluru Wards

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday [July 8] issued notice to the State Election Commission (SEC) on a writ petition challenging its decision to conduct a "parallel" Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for specific wards in the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) area, while the ECI's (Election Commission of India) nationwide SIR Phase III is already underway in the State.A single-judge bench of Justice Suraj Govindaraj, hearing the petition filed by five residents of the Mahadevapura Assembly Constituency, has directed all respondents-including the State of Karnataka, the State Election Commission and the ECI- to file their objections to the plea. The matter will be heard again on July 15, 2026.For context, the plea has challenged SEC's June 19 order that directed a fresh SIR and preparation of electoral rolls for 24 specific wards corresponding to the Mahadevapura Assembly Constituency (174), citing alleged 'local party complaints' regarding duplicate and fake entries in its rolls.According to the plea, the aforesaid order contradicts the purpose of ECI's SIR Phase III which is currently happening for 16 states and 3 UTs, including Karnataka. As a standard measure, ECI had frozen the Assembly Constituency Rills in Karnataka on June 16, the petitioners contend.However, on June 19, SEC allegedly froze the same electoral rolls independently for the said 24 GBA wards with effect from a previous date, i.e., April 18. According to SEC, the SIR will be completed within 5 weeks with roll publication on July 31, the plea says further. ECI, on the other hand has kept the Phase III's operation till October 7, it is stated.According to the writ, the State Election Commission's said order violates the constitutional provisions under Articles 325 and 326, which envisage a single, unified electoral roll for every territorial constituency. Further, it has been argued that the State Commission's authority under Article 243ZA is limited to the 'superintendence, direction and control' over the preparation of electoral rolls for municipalities, i.e., it can adopt the parent Assembly Rolls, and not conduct a parallel independent SIR.The Rules 3 and 30 of the Greater Bengaluru Governance (Registration of Electors) Rules, 2025 applicable to the State Election Commission specifically mandate that the electoral rolls for GBA wards shall be prepared by aforesaid adoption of state legislative assembly rolls, it has been remarked further in the plea.Moreover, Leader of Opposition, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, had submitted a representation to the Chief Electoral Officer on June 25, 2026 asking the ECI to intervene and halt SEC's parallel process, since two revisions could pave way to 'massive public and voter confusion' and 'a waste of public funds', the petitioners add.The petitioners hence sought a writ of certiorari quashing the SEC's impugned order, a writ of mandamus declaring that the SEC is bound to prepare municipal rolls only by adopting the ECI's rolls, and an interim order staying the implementation of the parallel SIR schedule.Case Title: Mr Vivek M & Ors. v. The Karnatak State Election Commission & Ors.Case No: WP 20631/2026

Karnataka SIR: High Court Issues Notice On Plea Against SEC's 'Parallel' Electoral Roll Revision In Greater Bengaluru Wards

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Karnataka SIR: High Court Issues Notice On Plea Against SEC's 'Parallel' Electoral Roll Revision In Greater Bengaluru Wards

Sebin James

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