Disgruntled at having missed the chance to vote in the Lok Sabha elections on April 17, as their names went missing in Pune constituency’s voter lists, many voters have come forward to file public interest litigations (PIL) and writ petitions against the district collector
Disgruntled at having missed the chance to vote in the Lok Sabha elections on April 17, as their names went missing in Pune constituency’s voter lists, many voters have come forward to file public interest litigations (PIL) and writ petitions against the district collector. On April 21, activist Pratap Gaikwad filed a PIL, while the next day People’s Guardian Party’s Pune candidate Arun Bhatia filed a writ petition seeking re-polling in the constituency.
Collector Saurabh Rao talks to discontent voters on polling day
But the registrar judiciary of the high court, Shrikant Kulkarni, told mid-day that until Tuesday he received only one PIL. “It’s my discretionary power to sign the PILs when they come to the HC. However, till Tuesday I received only one PIL and accordingly I approved and signed it,” said Kulkarni.
Collector Saurabh Rao did not receive a single notice of PIL or writ petition filed by Gaikwad and Bhatia respectively. “I read in the newspaper that PILs and writs have been filed. But I didn’t receive any notice from the petitioner, or any information from the HC about it,” Rao said.
Parivartan NGO has collected applications with 500 signatures of missing voters to file a PIL for re-polling or summary revision of electoral rolls.
The city wings of Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party are collecting the documents and proofs of alleged malpractices while drawing up voter lists in order to file a PIL in the Bombay High Court.
On the polling day in Pune constituency on April 17, hundreds of citizens gheraoed Rao for the missing names from voter registration lists.
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