Delhi High Court limits booth-level agents' liability to verifiable information

The Delhi High Court ruled that booth-level agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties can only be held accountable for information they can personally verify, such as matching a photograph to an elector's identity. The ruling limits their liability under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act. Justice Amit Bansal issued the verdict on a petition challenging Election Commission guidelines that required BLAs to certify all particulars in enumeration forms during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The court found BLAs cannot be responsible for certifying every detail, as the statutory duty for verification rests with the Electoral Registration Officer. The petition was filed by Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav, arguing the guidelines exceeded the Election Commission's authority under the Representation of the People Act and Registration of Electors Rules. The petitioners also sought access to Delhi's 2002 electoral rolls to assist BLAs in the revision process.