Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday openly addressed the allegations pertaining to manipulation of electoral rolls, addition, and deletion of names. “There were certain kinds of concerns that were raised (by political parties). It was said that wrongful addition and deletion were made in electoral rolls… It was also said that certain groups are targeted and their names are deleted. Even after giving a reply about EVM – it was said that EVM can be manipulated,” the CEC said.
CEC Kumar dismissed allegations of manipulation in the electoral roll, saying no deletion can occur without thorough documentation, field verification, and giving the concerned individual an opportunity to be heard. Kumar emphasized that the process for additions and deletions is transparent, rigorous, and immune to arbitrary changes.
#WATCH | Delhi | Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar says, “…There were certain kinds of concerns that were raised (by political parties). It was said that wrongful addition and deletion were made in electoral rolls… It was also said that certain groups are targeted and their… pic.twitter.com/vslxQMapn0
— ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2025
This comes a day after former Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal claimed that a “Large-Scale” fraud in voter addition and deletions in the New Delhi Assembly seat is taking place. In a post on X, Kejriwal cited a letter from Chief Minister Atishi sent to Delhi Chief Electoral Officer. “Large-scale fraud taking place in voter additions and deletions in the New Delhi assembly. Delhi CM Atishi ji writes this letter to CEC presenting evidence and seeking time to meet,” he said.
Reacting to the electoral roll, CEC Kumar said that there are at least 70 processes in which the political parties work with the election commission.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the schedule for Delhi Assembly polls, the chief election commissioner (CEC) said, “Whenever electoral rolls are made, regular meetings are held. All political parties have the right to appoint BLAs. Every claim and objection is shared with the political parties…”
“No deletion can take place without Form 7. Even in the case of death, the death certificate is kept in our records. And even after this, if any deletion has to take place, a notice is sent to the voter, and time is given for claims and objections,” he added.
“Every step of the electoral roll process is rooted in transparency and accountability. Deletion of names is not possible without adhering to strict protocols, and every party has the right to raise objections at various stages.” On deletions, Kumar clarified that they are processed only through Form 7 or Form B, following strict guidelines.
“Mandatory field verification is conducted by the BLOs, and in cases where deletions exceed 2 percent of a polling station’s voter list, cross-verification is done. Deletions due to death require a certified death certificate, and a seven-day window is provided for objections after notices are published online. Also, the affected voters are given the opportunity for a personal hearing before their names are removed,” he said.
“No deletion can occur without thorough documentation, field verification, and giving the concerned individual an opportunity to be heard,” Kumar reiterated. The CEC also pointed out that claims and objections are not only reviewed but also shared with all the political parties and made accessible online to ensure transparency.
Criticizing the tendency to question the integrity of the electoral process only during elections, the CEC argued that allegations of mass deletions are misleading without evidence and undermine public trust in the system. “Where every vote matters, raising doubts about the deletion of thousands of names without evidence is misleading. The processes we follow leave no room for manipulation,” he stated.
The CEC’s comments came in the backdrop of recent allegations made by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who claimed the voter list in the New Delhi Assembly constituency had been tampered with to influence the upcoming elections. Atishi also called for an immediate inquiry into the matter, alleging large-scale deletions to manipulate the electoral outcome.
The Assembly elections in Delhi are set to be held in a single phase on February 5 and counting of votes will take place on February 8. In the 2020 Delhi elections, AAP won 62 out of the 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections and BJP secured eight seats.
