MUMBAI, Nov. 5 -- The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed four petitions questioning the validity of the electoral rolls for the upcoming local body polls, observing that once the lists are finalised, the courts cannot intervene. The petitions had alleged irregularities, including insufficient time for filing objections and the exclusion of names despite online registration. The bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad clarified that the electoral rolls, once prepared, attain finality and cannot be altered by judicial intervention. The bench was hearing a batch of 42 petitions relating to the forthcoming Nagar Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Zilla Parishad and municipal elections. While these petitions raised a range of grievances, from ward reservation and delimitation to voter registration issues, the court took up only those pertaining to the voters' lists on Tuesday. Matters relating to ward reservation and delimitation will be heard on Thursday. Several petitions were transferred to the Chief Justice's bench in Mumbai from the Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar benches. The state government opposed the petitions, arguing that many raised issues already settled by the Supreme Court or were otherwise untenable. Petitioners from Marathwada and Vidarbha contended that the recent floods prevented them from filing timely objections to the electoral rolls. Others claimed that despite registering online, their names were not included in the list. Chastising the petitioners for the delay, the bench remarked, "Some new voters say their names are missing from the list. But what were you doing all year? Why approach the court on the eve of elections?" The court upheld the State Election Commission's position that the voters' lists, finalised as of July 1, 2025, will determine eligibility to vote and contest. The bench noted, "We do not have the authority to add or remove names from the voters' list. Those whose names have been deleted have legal recourse to appeal under the prescribed procedure."...