UP SIR : Supreme Court Asks Lucknow DEO To Examine Grievances Of Relocated Akbar Nagar Residents

The Supreme Court today asked the District Election Officer, Lucknow, to examine the grievances raised by the former residents of Akbar Nagar, who were relocated after demolition of their homes, that they were not given enumeration forms in the Special Intensive Revision(SIR) process in Uttar Pradesh and that they were asked by the Booth Level Officers to register as new voters by filing Form 6.The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi refused to entertain the writ petition filed by 91 former residents of Akbar Nagar and relegated them to the DEO. If their grievance is not redressed by the DEO, they can approach the High Court.It was the case of the petitioners that they resided in Akbar Nagar prior to 1980 till 2024-2025, and after the demolition of their houses, were rehabilitated in the Vasant Kunj area, outside Lucknow City. Due to the relocation, the Petitioners' electoral constituency has changed. Only because of the change of constituency, pursuant to displacement from Akbar Nagar, the ECI completely ignored the Petitioners' status as existing electors/voters, they contended.Senior Advocate MR Shamshad, for the petitioners, stressed that the petitioners' names appear in previous electoral rolls, including the 2002 rolls. Bench was also informed that a summary revision was carried out in Akbar Nagar in 2025, and some petitioners' names are also present in those rolls. When the CJI asked why the petitioners didnot approach the High Court, the counsel answered, " This is one instance which has come to yourlordships, now I have a list of 15 such instances throughout the country." The CJI replied, "They (petitioners) are not doing some kind of all India social service, they should concern themselves with their right only." Shamshad submitted that the petitioners are poor people, who were relocated after the demolition of their homes. He submitted that the petitioners approached the Supreme Court since the SC is seized of other petitions concerning the UP SIR.The plea states that "the Petitioners', and many others, have not been issued Enumeration Forms (EFs). Instead, the ECI asked them to fill Form - 6 as 'New Voters'; which has its own consequences. Petitioners have been seeking to fill Enumeration Form to be followed by filling out Form 8 to change their address. The Respondents/EROs have not permitted this process in the case of these and other similarly placed votersThe CJI refused to consider the plea saying "it would open a Pandora's box." The bench proceeded to direct the district collector of Lucknow to examine the factual aspects and take an appropriate action on the issue. The petitioners were allowed to move the High Court if the issue still persisted. "In view of the facts and situations involved, we are not inclined to entertain this Writ Petition under Article 32."We direct the District Collector, Lucknow(District Election Officer), to ascertain the facts of the representation said to have been submitted by the petitioners and take a remedial action as per the law. If the petitioners' grievance is not addressed effectively, they may approach the High Court. It is clarified that we have not expressed anything on merits." Why Petitioners' Challenge Filing Form 6 For 'New Voters'? As per the plea, the Petitioners submit that filling of Form 6 shall create multiple issues, including the fact that -(i) their declaration shall be contrary to the record as they already exist in Electoral Rolls.(ii) Secondly, if they fill Form - 6, it shall be against Rule 13(3) of the Rules of 1960.(iii) Thirdly, the Petitioners' feel that this is being done by a design to show/reflect electors belonging to a particular community as 'new electors' to be later categorized as 'D-Voter' or 'Ineligible Voters' and finally brand them 'non-Citizens' or infiltrators.(iv) The Petitioners have come to know that in many areas, where the voters are not well educated or know the consequences of filling Form 6, have ignorantly filled Form 6 under the garb of Enumeration Forms as suggested by BLOs.The following reliefs were sought : I. Direct the ECI to allow the Petitioners and other similarly placed existing voters to be provided with Enumeration Forms (EFs) for their submission with BLOs to complete the exercise of SIR.II.Direct the ECI to extend the dates of the process of SIR in relation to all the existing voters whose EFs have not yet been issued.III. Direct the ECI to file a Status Report in relation to displaced electors/voters of Akbar Nagar area whose names appear in the Summary Special Revision 2025 held in January 2025.Case Details : SANA PARVEEN AND ORS. Versus ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA AND ORS| W.P.(C) No. 191/2026Click Here To Read/Download Order

UP SIR : Supreme Court Asks Lucknow DEO To Examine Grievances Of Relocated Akbar Nagar Residents

Anmol Kaur Bawa

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