The Supreme Court has ruled that a candidate whose name appears on multiple voter rolls is ineligible to contest elections. The ruling came on Friday, September 26, 2025, when the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal from the Uttarakhand State Election Commission (SEC). The SEC's appeal challenged an earlier High Court order that had put a stay on a circular issued by the commission. The circular had permitted individuals registered as voters in multiple constituencies to participate in Panchayat polls.
Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta of the Supreme Court stated that the circular issued by the SEC should not be implemented. The High Court had initially stayed the circular after a petitioner pointed out that allowing candidates registered in multiple voter lists to contest polls was a violation of sections 9(6) and 9(7) of the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj Act, 2016.
The Supreme Court bench supported the High Court's decision, stating that the SEC's clarification was in direct opposition to the statutory bar under sub-sections 6 and 7 of section 9, given that the statute expressly prohibits the registration of a voter in more than one territorial constituency or on more than one electoral roll.
This ruling reinforces the principle of "one person, one vote" and seeks to prevent potential malpractices in elections. The decision aims to ensure the integrity of the electoral process by preventing individuals from potentially influencing election outcomes in multiple constituencies. The Supreme Court's stance aligns with broader efforts to maintain fair and transparent elections, addressing concerns about voter registration and potential fraud.
The decision is particularly significant in the context of Panchayat elections in Uttarakhand but has broader implications for electoral laws and practices across India. It underscores the importance of accurate and updated voter lists in preventing electoral irregularities. The Election Commission and state election bodies are expected to take note of this ruling and implement measures to ensure compliance with the law. This may involve stricter verification processes during voter registration and candidate nomination to identify and rectify instances of multiple registrations.
While the Supreme Court's decision clarifies the legal position on candidates contesting from multiple seats based on multiple voter registrations, it also brings into focus the need for electoral reforms to address related issues such as the possibility of a single person registering in multiple locations. Electoral reforms might include technological solutions to prevent multiple registrations and ensure the accuracy of voter rolls.
