Priti W/O Pravin Bhandarkar v. The Election Commission Of India Nirvachan Sadan

902-PIL.134.2025.doc JVS.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO. 134 OF 2025 Priti w/o. Pravin Bhandarkar } Petitioner versus The Election Commission of India & Ors.

} Respondents None for the Petitioner.

Mr. S. B. Shetye, Advocate for State Election Commission. Ms. Neha S. Bhide, Government Pleader with Ms. Apurva Thipsey, 'B' Panel Counsel for Respondent-State.

CORAM:

SHREE CHANDRASHEKHAR, CJ. & GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J.

DATE:

8th DECEMBER 2025 P.C.:

With a prayer for direction to the respondent-Authority to include the name of certain persons in the voters' list for the forthcoming Nagar Parishad Elections, this Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed by Mrs. Priti Pravin Bhandarkar who states that she is resident of Room No. 971, Near Hanuman Mandir, Talav Ward, Sakoli, Taluka Sakoli, District Bhandara. In this context, the petitioner seeks to challenge the order dated 30th September 2025 by which the respondent-Authority declined to include her name in the voters' list.

2.

Briefly stated, the petitioner states that she possessed a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission and submitted form 6 on the official website of the Election Commission of India. The petitioner nowhere states as to publication of a notification for the forthcoming elections. However, she states that she made objections on 8th October 2025 and 13th October 2025 but her

902-PIL.134.2025.doc objections were not considered and her name was not entered in the voters' list.

3.

On a glance at Exhibit-C, it transpires that "6th October 2025" is the date on which a copy of the e-Electoral Voter Id Card was downloaded from the official website of the Election Commission of India. This date has no relevance to or cannot be a determinative factor to arrive at a conclusion that the petitioner's name stood included in the voters list for the Nagar Parishad. The e-Electoral Voter Id Card of the petitioner was prepared long back and this document vide Annexure-C does not indicate that her name was included in the voters list prior to the cut-off date of "1st July 2025". 4.

In view of the aforesaid, Public Interest Litigation No. 134 of 2025 is dismissed.

Digitally signed by JAYANT VISHWANATH SALUNKE Date:

2025.12.11 11:39:13 +0530 JAYANT VISHWANATH SALUNKE [GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J.] [CHIEF JUSTICE]