New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday wrote to the Delhi CEO directing the authority to “scrupulously” follow the process for deletion and revision of the electoral rolls by conducting proper enquiry and involvement of various political parties in the run up to the assembly polls next year.

The Commission also shared with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) a representation received by it from the BJP seeking removal of names of illegal and temporary migrants and ‘ghost’ voters during the special summary revision (SSR) for 2025.

It also reminded the Delhi election authority of a Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) representation, shared with the Delhi CEO earlier, regarding “threat of mass voter deletion” in the state.

The issue raised by both parties, the EC said, has to be examined “carefully” and necessary action be taken by “strictly” following the laid down statutory provisions and the Commission’s guidelines contained in the manual of electoral roles.

The Commission reminded the CEO of Delhi that no deletion of names from electoral rolls can take place without filing the stipulated Form-7 as it also instructed that all such cases must be personally cross verified by the ERO (Electoral Registration Officer) if they fall under certain conditions like the same person being the objector in more than five cases.

Such a cross verification should be done by the ERO where the number of deletions exceed 2 per cent of the total electors in the voter list of the polling station, as per the EC.

It also directed the CEO that extant process “should be scrupulously followed by the entire machinery involved in the revision process, including the EROs, AEROs, BLO supervisors and BLOs, so as to ensure that changes in the electoral roll during the SSR period are backed by proper enquiry with fullest possible participation of the political parties”.

“The list of claims and objections, including Form-7 should regularly be shared with all political parties and also be uploaded on the website of CEO Delhi,” the EC directed.

The objections to these claims and objections, including those raised by BLAs (booth level agents) of the political parties before the concerned BLO/ERO, must be disposed off after scrutiny/hearing of the concerned, it said.

 

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