# High Court Urged to Acknowledge Bill of Rights Breach

> High Court faces call to declare electoral changes breach Bill of Rights Act.
- Title: High Court Urged to Acknowledge Bill of Rights Breach · RNZ
- Summary: High Court faces call to declare electoral changes breach Bill of Rights Act. High Court urged to acknowledge Bill of Rights Act breach in recent electoral…
- Keywords: bill of rights act, electoral amendment act, voter enrolment, 13-day deadline, new zealand, parliament, high court, bora, disenfranchisement, waikato university, judith collins, paul goldsmith
- Source: RNZ — https://rnz.co.nz/news/political/1745400/high-court-urged-to-acknowledge-bill-of-rights-breach-in-recent-electoral-changes
- Author: RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
- Published: 2026-10-05T05:14:41+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: bill of rights act, electoral amendment act, voter enrolment, 13-day deadline, new zealand, parliament, high court, bora, disenfranchisement, waikato university, judith collins, paul goldsmith
## High Court urged to acknowledge Bill of Rights breach
High Court judge says Parliament's eyes were wide open over Bill of Rights Act breach in recent electoral changes.

> Parliament's "eyes were wide open" over the Bill of Rights Act breach in recent electoral changes
## Crown argues declaration unnecessary
Crown lawyer says the court's declaration would tell Parliament something it already knows about the breach.

> What is the court actually going to be telling Parliament, even a new Parliament, that it doesn't already know?
## Electoral changes risk disenfranchisement
Electoral Amendment Act ends same-day voter enrolment and requires 13-day registration deadline, risking disenfranchisement of 100,000+ people.

> The legislation was found to be inconsistent with the BORA and the changes to enrolments could prevent 100,000 or more people from voting
## Law student seeks court declaration
Law student Christopher Carroll wants court to declare 13-day enrolment deadline inconsistent with right to vote in Bill of Rights Act.

> It's really important that people hear from the court that a right fundamental to our democracy has been breached by Parliament
## Attorney-General's report found inconsistency
Attorney-General Judith Collins found 13-day registration deadline inconsistent with Bill of Rights Act in July 2025.

> I conclude the proposal for a 13-day registration deadline appears to constitute an unjustified limit on s12 of the NZBORA
## Court avoids immediate decision
High Court judge says decision won't impact law but will inform future Parliament about electoral changes breach.

> The only question is whether that needs to be a declaration, or whether something… a bit lower voltage will do the trick
## Key takeaway

High Court urged to acknowledge Bill of Rights Act breach in recent electoral changes that could disenfranchise 100,000+ voters.