May 6, 2026 · 3:12 PM
The Delhi High Court has listed the National Campaign for People's Right to Vote petition — challenging the electoral roll deletions — for hearing on May 14. A bench of two judges will examine whether the Election Commission followed due process.
May 5, 2026 · 10:45 AM
The Election Commission has filed a counter-affidavit stating that all deletions followed Form 7 procedure. However, ADR's legal team says forms were sent to outdated addresses, effectively making notice meaningless for migrant voters.
May 3, 2026 · 6:00 PM
Parliament's Budget Session officially concluded today. The Finance Bill 2026 has received Presidential assent. The All India Judicial Services Bill returns in the Monsoon Session.
The Budget Session of Parliament concluded on May 3 with the passage of nine bills, including the Finance Bill 2026, the Digital Personal Data Protection Amendment, and the proposed All India Judicial Services Bill. The session, which began on February 1, saw 47 sittings across both Houses — significantly fewer productive hours than the session average due to repeated adjournments.
The Electoral Roll Controversy
The sharpest disruption came on March 18, when opposition parties staged a coordinated walkout across both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The immediate trigger was a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) showing that over 34 lakh names had been deleted from electoral rolls in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra between September and December 2025, without standard 30-day prior notice to voters.
“This is not administrative error — it is surgical erasure. We demand a joint parliamentary committee with power to summon Election Commission officials and state data.”
— Leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha
Budget Session 2026 — Key Numbers
- 47 sittings held across both Houses (target: 60)
- 9 bills passed; 6 referred to standing committees
- Productivity in Lok Sabha: 58% (17-year average: 73%)
- 34.2 lakh names deleted from rolls in 5 states — ADR Report
- Opposition walked out on 8 separate occasions
Bills That Did Pass
Despite the disruptions, the Finance Bill was passed without amendment after a six-hour debate, clearing the tax proposals in Union Budget 2026–27. The Digital Personal Data Protection Amendment Bill, which raises the penalty for data breaches from ₹250 crore to ₹500 crore, was passed in Rajya Sabha after six months in committee. The contentious All India Judicial Services Bill — proposing a common eligibility test for district judges — was passed in Lok Sabha but faces uncertain passage in Rajya Sabha next session.
9
Bills passed
58%
Lok Sabha productivity
34.2L
Voter names deleted
₹500Cr
New data breach penalty
The Election Commission of India issued a statement on March 21 defending the roll deletions as 'routine de-duplication and deceased voter removal.' However, field verification by NT in three Uttar Pradesh constituencies found that several deleted voters were alive and residing at their registered addresses. A formal complaint has been filed by the National Campaign for People's Right to Vote, currently pending before the Delhi High Court.
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Priya Sharma
Political Correspondent
Priya covers Parliament and electoral politics from New Delhi. She has reported on six Union Budgets and three general elections.