New Delhi: In a major development, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here said on Monday that over 4.8 lakh new voter registration forms and 82,450 applications for voter deletion have been received since November 29, 2024, as part of the ongoing Special Summary Revision. Additionally, 171,385 requests for modifications have also been received.
The CEO's office said the final electoral roll will be published on January 6, 2025, after making necessary updates.
It also said FIRs had been filed against eight persons for allegedly submitting false documents for registration as a voter in the Okhla Assembly constituency of the city. “Submission of false documents for obtaining Voter ID is a punishable offence. Strict action will be taken against such violations,” reads an official statement.
AAP Vs BJP Over Electoral Roll
The announcement comes amid a political slugfest between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the alleged removal of names from Delhi's electoral roll before the upcoming polls.
The two parties accused each other of manipulating the Delhi electoral roll in a bid to win the State Assembly election due to be held in February.
The CEO's office said that the revision and updation are being done following the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure an inclusive and up-to-date electoral roll.
“During the pre-revision period, house-to-house verification was carried out from August 20, 2024, to October 18, 2024, by Booth Level Officers. This exercise aimed to identify unregistered eligible citizens, prospective voters turning 18 by October 1, 2025, as well as permanently shifted or deceased electors and duplicate entries,” reads the statement.
“Following this, the draft electoral rolls were published on October 29, 2024, inviting the public to file claims and objections. These were accepted until November 28, 2024, and all the claims and objections received were already disposed of by December 24, 2024, the statement said.
"The final electoral roll, reflecting these updates, is scheduled for publication on January 6, 2025," it said.
Political parties that have objections to any additions, deletions, or modifications carried out in the electoral roll during the special summary revision period and the continuous updation can file their objections before the officials concerned, it said.
Polls Likely Around February 12-13
The ECI will likely release the schedule for the Delhi Assembly polls in the second week of January, with January 10 being a possible date. The present Delhi Assembly's term ends on February 23, 2025; hence, voting is expected to take place around February 12-13.
Additionally, the Election Commission is eager to hold the elections before Rajiv Kumar, the incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), retires on February 18.
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