The Delhi High Court has dismissed a PIL claiming that homeless individuals face exclusion from voter lists during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The court ruled that existing mechanisms already safeguard the voting rights of the homeless.

  • Delhi High Court dismissed a PIL regarding the potential exclusion of homeless citizens from voter rolls.
  • The Court noted that the Election Commission (ECI) has an established mechanism for enrolling homeless persons.
  • Homeless voters are identified in draft rolls with house number '0'.
  • Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are mandated to verify the sleeping locations of applicants under Form 6.

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that alleged homeless residents in the national capital were at risk of being excluded from electoral rolls during the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR). A Bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that the apprehensions raised by the petitioner, Indu Prakash Singh, lacked sufficient basis.

The court emphasized that there is no "vacuum" in the current electoral mechanism. Upon reviewing the Draft Electoral Roll, the Bench noted that the category for homeless persons—complete with names, age, gender, photographs, and the house number designated as '0'—clearly demonstrates that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is actively implementing inclusion processes as per the manual.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this ruling is significant in the context of urban displacement and democratic participation. As demolition drives and relocation become more frequent in metropolitan areas like Delhi, the legal ability of displaced persons to maintain their franchise is a critical pillar of constitutional rights.

The court affirmed that the existing legal framework provides a robust pathway for the inclusion of even those without a fixed permanent address.

The petitioner had argued that Delhi's approximately three lakh homeless individuals face a "structural barrier" due to the house-to-house enumeration process used during the SIR. The PIL suggested that the inability of Booth Level Officers to locate individuals at recorded addresses could lead to systematic disenfranchisement and even questions regarding their citizenship.

In response, the Election Commission informed the court that specific provisions exist for enrolling pavement dwellers and homeless individuals who lack documentary proof of residence. Under the Electoral Rolls Manual, once a person submits Form 6, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) is required to visit the specified location for more than one night to ascertain where the person ordinarily sleeps.

Furthermore, the court highlighted that any elector omitted from the rolls due to demolition or relocation can re-apply for inclusion by submitting Form 6 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

Did You Know?: In Indian electoral records, a house number of '0' is a specific administrative designation used to identify voters without a permanent residence.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can a homeless person register to vote in Delhi?
A homeless person can submit Form 6, and a Booth Level Officer will visit to verify their usual sleeping location.

2. What happens if a person is displaced by a demolition drive?
Displaced persons can submit Form 6 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, to ensure their names are included in the rolls.