SC seeks explanation from ECI on increasing number of voters per polling booth to 1500

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Election Commission of India (ECI) explaining its decision to increase the number of voters per polling booth to from 1,200 to 1,500.
Bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar did not issue formal notice to the poll panel but asked the poll panel to file a short affidavit.
The apex court was hearing the PIL challenging Election Commission of India's communications whereby the maximum number of electors per polling station have been increased from 1200 to 1500.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for ECI told the bench that the number was raised to 1,500 in 2019 and no grievance was raised up until now.
"Political parties are consulted for every booth before it is decided," he said.
Social activist Indu Prakash Singh moved the apex court seeking directions that the number of electors per polling booth be retained at 1,200 as was followed from 1957 to 2016, and the number of polling stations be increased to a sufficient number as per the mandate under Section 25 of the Representation of People Act.
The petition challenged communications of August 7 and 23, 2024 issued by ECI, to the extent that the number of electors at each polling station in each constituency has been increased.