Nagpur graduates' poll: HC seeks affidavits by Oct 30 on alleged voter list irregularities

A case over alleged irregularities in the voter registration process for the Nagpur division graduates' constituency has reached the High Court. Petitioner Prof. Sachin Kalbande has now filed an amendment application, which the court has allowed.

Justice Urmila Joshi Phalke admitted the application and directed all respondents, including the Chief Election Commissioner, the State Election Commission and the Divisional Commissioner, to file affidavits by October 30.

The matter was heard on Tuesday. The High Court had earlier referred the case to the principal bench in Mumbai, but the principal bench ordered that the Nagpur bench itself should hear it. Advocate Neeraja Chaubey appeared for the Election Commission during the hearing.

The petition claims several serious irregularities in the voter list. According to it, 98,782 applications in the Nagpur division were still pending on the last date for submitting nomination papers. It also says the names of about 8,400 voters appear twice in the voter list.

The petitioner has made a further allegation. According to him, names of holders of "diploma" and "D Pharm" qualifications were included in the voter list even though the rules and recognition do not permit it.

The petition also strongly objects to what it calls contradictory statements from the administration. On one hand, the government counsel claimed that the final voter list was already published in December 2025. On the other, the election officer said on October 10 that work on the list was still going on and that nothing could be said with certainty about when it would be published.

Questioning the publication of the final voter list, the scrutiny of applications and the transparency of the entire election process, the petitioner has sought cancellation of the election process. He has also warned that he will approach the Supreme Court if he does not get proper justice from the High Court.

All eyes are now on October 30, the date by which the Election Commission and the other respondents must file their affidavits in court.