The Calcutta High Court has ordered an electoral tribunal to resolve a woman’s voter list appeal within two weeks, addressing a dispute that has prevented her son from securing a passport needed to attend medical school in Bangladesh.
Justice Krishna Rao issued the direction on August 20 while disposing of a writ petition filed by the mother. The court requested that the Special Intensive Revision appellate tribunal decide the pending matter as expeditiously as possible, setting a target timeline of two weeks from the receipt of the judicial order.
Impact on Higher Education
According to the petitioner, her name was removed from the electoral roll, which subsequently led authorities to withhold her son’s passport. The student has already been selected for admission to an MBBS program in Bangladesh but remains unable to travel abroad to pursue his higher studies without valid travel documentation.
Legal counsel representing the mother informed the court that an appeal had already been lodged with the appellate authority challenging the removal of her name. The petitioner sought judicial intervention for a speedy resolution so her son could acquire his passport and proceed with his medical education.
Legal Context of Electoral Revisions
The case highlights administrative procedures under the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision process. The Supreme Court previously upheld the constitutional validity of the revision, ruling that it does not conflict with the Representation of the People Act, 1950, or its associated rules, and serves the constitutional imperative of maintaining accurate voter rolls for free and fair elections.
In its earlier ruling, the apex court also clarified that an exclusion or deletion from the voter list during this process does not constitute a determination that an individual is not an Indian citizen. The top court noted that such action simply reflects the Election Commission’s determination that statutory conditions for electoral registration were not met based on the provided material.
