Rajasthan High Court Bars Electoral Roll Revision After Election Process Begins in Mendi Panchayat Case

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The Rajasthan High Court has ruled that once the election process begins, the electoral roll cannot be revised. A division bench of Justices Indrajit Singh and Sandeep Taneja dismissed an appeal by the State Election Commission on 12 November 2026, upholding a single-judge order that had cancelled the removal of four voters from the roll of Mendi Gram Panchayat in Bundi district. The hearing took place on a holiday because of Diwali vacation.

The case concerns four voters of Ward 4 – Indraj Singh, Sunita Devi, Sudesh Kumar and Sunita Kumari – who were originally residents of Sukhpura Gram Panchayat. Their names were added to the Mendi roll on 7 February 2026 after no objections were received. Bahadur Singh later objected, but the returning officer rejected his objection on 2 October. The State Election Commission announced the panchayat election programme on 3 October. Bahadur Singh then appealed to the district election officer on 13 October; the voters received notice on 17 October, and the officer ordered their names removed the next day, 18 October. The single-judge bench of Justice Anand Sharma cancelled that order on 4 November.

The division bench held that the election process began with the announcement of the programme on 3 October, after which the roll could not be revised. It also found that the district election officer had given the voters only one day's notice and no adequate opportunity to be heard. The State Election Commission had argued that only the programme had been announced, not a notification, and that the district election officer could still exercise statutory powers. The bench did not accept that distinction and refused to interfere with the single-judge order.

What was the sequence of events in the Mendi case?

Four voters were added to the Mendi Gram Panchayat roll on 7 February 2026. Bahadur Singh's objection was rejected by the returning officer on 2 October. The State Election Commission announced the panchayat election programme on 3 October. Bahadur Singh appealed to the district election officer on 13 October; the voters received notice on 17 October, and the officer ordered removal on 18 October. Justice Anand Sharma cancelled that order on 4 November. The State Election Commission, district election officer and electoral registration officer of Hindoli then appealed to the division bench.

What did the court find procedurally wrong?

The division bench held that the election process began with the announcement of the programme on 3 October, after which the roll could not be revised. It also found that the district election officer gave the voters only one day's notice and no adequate opportunity to be heard before ordering removal. The State Election Commission's argument that only the programme had been announced, not a notification, and that the officer could still exercise statutory powers, was not accepted by the bench.