#Election Commission of India

Gauhati High Court reinforces that voters challenging electoral roll deletions must first pursue remedies under Sections 23 and 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 before approaching constitutional courts. The ruling underscores the primacy of statutory mechanisms in electoral disputes, impacting voters, election officers, and legal practitioners handling similar cases.

The Gauhati High Court has ruled that removing voters from electoral rolls without giving them a prior opportunity to be heard violates the principles of natural justice under Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act. Authorities must now complete inclusion proceedings within 14 days and communicate all decisions in writing, safeguarding millions of citizens from arbitrary disenfranchisement.