A ‘Special Intensive Revision’ process is currently underway in Delhi. Through this initiative, the Election Commission updates the electoral roll; the names of deceased individuals and those who have migrated are removed, while new voters can easily get their names added. Individuals who have relocated and find their names listed in two different locations can also have their names removed from one of those places during this period.
This process has recently concluded in several states and is ongoing in others; Delhi is currently in the midst of this Special Intensive Revision. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has clarified that no one will be excluded from the electoral roll simply because their name does not appear in the 2002 list. The draft electoral roll for Delhi is scheduled for publication on August 24, following the completion of door-to-door voter verification and the digitization of enumeration forms.
Only two categories of people will be excluded from the electoral roll
The Election Commission has clarified that names will be removed from the electoral roll only if the individual has failed to fill out the enumeration form. Additionally, names will be deleted only if the person is not a citizen eligible to vote in the country. Notices will be sent to individuals whose names do not appear in the 2002 electoral roll. Subsequently, such individuals can re-register as voters by providing details regarding the names of their parents or grandparents (paternal or maternal) who were listed in the 2002 roll.
What the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi stated
A post on the official ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) handle of Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer stated, “The enumeration phase is underway across Delhi, involving the distribution and collection of enumeration forms. By 8:00 PM on August 5, the verification of the majority of voters had been completed.” The Commission also shared a list containing comprehensive details about the SIR process. The Delhi CEO noted that this list reflects the current status and the ongoing efforts to create an electoral roll that is transparent, inclusive, and error-free. Somnath Bharti Raised Concerns
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti stated that despite graduating from IIT in 1997 and studying law in Delhi, he did not find his name in the 2002 electoral roll. Bharti had expressed concern regarding rumors that the names of 20 to 30 lakh voters in Delhi were being deleted. The CEO’s office stated that if a voter does not find their name in the previous electoral roll, they can provide details of relatives such as parents or grandparents.
