SC asks ECI to respond, issues notice to Sanjay Raut
The Supreme Court has asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to respond to a petition from Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders. They want an independent probe into claims of irregularities in how electoral rolls are updated.
A bench also sent a provisional notice to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, a co-petitioner in the case, for his remarks about the chief justice after the chief justice declined to meet Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Petition says Gyanesh Kumar acted alone
The petition argues that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar made key decisions, like last year's special revision of voter lists, on his own, possibly ignoring constitutional rules.
The opposition wants a retired Supreme Court judge to lead an independent committee checking if the ECI is following proper safeguards, saying it's crucial for trust in India's elections.