Congress alleges voter deletions in Chandni Chowk during SIR, plans legal fight

Delhi Congress has alleged large-scale deletions from electoral rolls at some Chandni Chowk booths during the SIR exercise. The party says it will assist affected voters, set up help centres and move court if required.

In Short

• Delhi Congress vows to raise SIR-related cases for homeless and affected voters
• Plans voter assistance centres in slums, markets, villages and RWAs
• Says homeless residents remain eligible voters despite lacking permanent addresses

The Delhi Congress on Monday alleged that a large number of names had been deleted from the electoral rolls at some booths in the Chandni Chowk Assembly constituency during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

In a statement, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said the party would take up the issue and also raise cases of people who had recently been rendered homeless.

The remarks were made at a training workshop for the Congress' booth level agents from different assembly constituencies in the national capital. The workers were briefed on the SIR process and on how to help voters whose names may not appear in the draft electoral roll.

The party also said it would focus on Dalits, minorities, people living in resettlement colonies and other eligible voters who, it feared, could be affected by the revision.

Yadav said, "The Congress party will strongly raise the issue of deletion of a large number of names in some booths of Chandni Chowk Assembly."

He said the party would approach the courts if needed, and that its workers would go door to door to help eligible voters during the claims and objections process. The statement said the Congress would set up voter assistance centres in slum clusters, RWA offices, village chaupals and major markets during this period.

AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin said he had worked on issues related to voters' rights during the SIR in Uttarakhand and shared his experience with party workers.

He said, "The basic basis for inclusion of names in the electoral roll is to be an Indian citizen." He added that being homeless or not having a permanent address did not affect a person's right to vote.

Nizamuddin also said there was anxiety among people over the revision process and that Congress workers should help them protect their electoral rights. The party further briefed workers on the legal aspects of the SIR, including how to respond to notices and deal with discrepancies and anomalies in electoral rolls.

The Delhi CEO's office has said that eligible persons whose names do not appear in the electoral roll can apply for inclusion through Form 6 along with the prescribed documents.

The claims and objections period will end on September 30, while the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4. The Congress has said it will use this period to help affected voters and raise cases of deletions and exclusion.

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