The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office in Delhi reported a significant uptick in voter-related activities, with over 485,000 new voter registrations, nearly 82,500 deletions, and 171,000 modifications processed over the span of a month.
This surge, between November 29 and December 30, 2024, comes amid ongoing political disputes about alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls. These efforts are part of the ongoing special summary revision of the electoral rolls, ensuring that Delhi’s voter list remains accurate and inclusive ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
The CEO office announced that citizens who have not yet registered can still apply to enrol as voters through Form 6, provided they submit the necessary supporting documents. For modifications or deletions, Forms 8 and 7 can be used, respectively.
The final publication of the revised electoral roll is expected on January 6, 2025, just ahead of the likely February elections. However, any modifications or deletions to the rolls will no longer be entertained after the announcement of the election programme, according to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) guidelines.
Despite these provisions, political tensions continue to rise as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) exchange accusations.
AAP has repeatedly alleged that the BJP is manipulating the electoral rolls to benefit its interests, while the BJP counters, accusing AAP of attempting to register “illegal voters” to create confusion. Both parties have submitted petitions to the Election Commission to address these concerns.
The process of updating the electoral rolls involves several stages, including the annual revision of electoral rolls, which allows for the addition, deletion, and modification of voter information. The special summary revision process also ensures that eligible citizens, especially first-time voters, are enrolled.
This process is a continuous effort, with the final updates taking place until the election notification is issued. To ensure inclusivity, poll authorities also conducted house-to-house verification from August to October 2024.
The process of updating the electoral rolls has not been without its challenges. In addition to political disputes, there have been cases of individuals attempting to fraudulently register for voting by submitting false documents.
The CEO’s office has taken a strict stance on such violations, filing FIRs against eight individuals in the Okhla Assembly constituency for attempting to register with false documents.
Multiple entries in the electoral rolls or multiple voter ID cards are punishable offences under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Political parties have also been involved in the process, with the CEO’s office holding several meetings with party representatives to address concerns and encourage the enrolment of young electors, particularly those between the ages of 18 and 19.
Parties have been invited to file objections against any additions, deletions, or modifications made during the revision period. However, political tensions have persisted, as accusations of voter manipulation continue to swirl.
While the revision of the electoral rolls is an essential part of the democratic process, it is not without its complexities. Ensuring that the rolls are accurate, inclusive, and free from manipulation is a significant challenge, particularly as elections approach.
With just a few weeks left before the final roll is published, the focus will now shift to ensuring that all eligible voters are properly registered and that any irregularities are addressed before the polls take place.
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