"Pandora's Box": Top Court Refuses To Hear SIR Plea By 91 Lucknow Residents

A bunch of petitioners whose names were left out of the voter list following demolition of their homes in Lucknow, have been told to consult their local election officials. The Supreme Court, which refused to hear their petition, said if they were not satisfied by the response of the poll body's Block Level Officials, they can approach the High Court.

"It will open a Pandora's box if we entertain this," the top court said. 

"Having regard to the serious nature of fact. We will not intervene in this under Article 32...  The High Court can look into this," said the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant. 

The BLOs and Election Commission official have been asked to hear the plea by the 91 petitioners, whose homes were demolished in Lucknow's Akbar Nagar. The district election officials have been asked to ascertain facts and take remedial steps as per law. 

The petitioners have claimed that the demolition was carried out in September 2023 on the ground that construction was unauthorised. 

The matter then reached the High Court, which asked that a rehabilitation policy be framed. This decision of the High Court was supported by the Supreme Court as well. 

The primary reason for their exclusion, the petitioners claimed, is that they currently lack "identifiable addresses" due to the state's demolition and subsequent rehabilitation process.

Their advocate MR Shamshad told the top court that their names were on the rolls of 2002, and also part of summary sir in 2025. Those who were born later, were included in the subsequent voter list.

"They are all there in the special SIR list also which was conducted in 2025," he added. 

The petitioners had asked the sought a direction to submit their enumeration forms to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to ensure their right to vote is preserved despite their lack of a permanent address following the September 2023 demolition drive.

"We are not inclined to entertain the plea in Article 32. The petitioners are directed to approach BLOs and EC officers. We direct EC to address the grievances of these petitioners. If petitioners are not satisfied, they may approach high court," the Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said.