Petitioners seek penal action for false Form 7 filings as Supreme Court directs Election Commission to examine UP SIR irregularities

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to examine unresolved allegations of bulk Form 7 filings during the Uttar Pradesh Special Intensive Revision, take necessary corrective steps and file a compliance report, after petitioners submit a written note of the irregularities. The Election Commission told the court that bulk Form 7s it found were false and were not acted upon, while petitioners pointed to 32 forms in the Hata constituency, two bearing a booth-level officer's signature, targeting voters of one community. The petitioners have sought penal action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, for false declarations, fraudulent objections and impersonation; the court has not ordered any prosecution. Under Section 31, a false written statement or declaration about the electoral roll, made knowingly or believed to be false, is punishable with imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine, or both. Sources: The Hindu and Deccan Herald. (The Hindu, Deccanherald)

• The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to examine unresolved allegations of bulk Form 7 filings during the Uttar Pradesh Special Intensive Revision, take necessary corrective steps and file a compliance r
• The Election Commission told the court that bulk Form 7s it found were false and were not acted upon, while petitioners pointed to 32 forms in the Hata constituency, two bearing a booth-level officer's signature, targeti
• The petitioners have sought penal action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, for false declarations, fraudulent objections and impersonation; the court has not ordered any prosecution.