The recent High Court stay on the State Election Commission’s circular regarding dual voter lists has disrupted the electoral strategy of several panchayat poll candidates in Uttarakhand. Candidates are now facing challenges in bringing voters—whose names are listed only in urban local body electoral rolls—back to villages to cast their votes.
The court clarified that as per the Panchayati Raj Act, individuals listed in the municipal (urban) voter list cannot be included in the panchayat (rural) voter list. This renders the commission’s circular permitting dual-list voting ineffective.
Many candidates had built their victory strategy around these urban-rural dual voters, often relying on relatives or individuals who return to villages during panchayat elections to vote. In some cases, entire vote banks were formed based on such temporary returns. Now, with the legal restriction, candidates are struggling to convince or mobilize these voters—causing a significant shift in campaign dynamics.
The restriction could impact the outcome in multiple seats, especially where the margin of victory depends heavily on returning urban voters.
