47.6 lakh names omitted from Delhi voter roll; only 2.5 lakh seek inclusion

Nearly 47.6 lakh voters have been left out of Delhi's draft electoral roll, but only 2.51 lakh applications for inclusion were received between August 31 and October 22, even as the deadline for applying is just six days away.

Figures released by the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) show that 2,50,754 Form 6 applications were submitted after the draft roll was published. Another 2,12,400 had arrived before August 31, taking the total number of applications to more than 4.63 lakh.

The revision exercise began on June 30 with about 1.45 crore voters on Delhi’s electoral rolls. By August 31, however, the draft list contained only about 97.5 lakh names. The remaining 47,56,722 voters were classified as absent, shifted, deceased or duplicate after election workers could not collect their enumeration forms.

Why so few Form 6 applications after the Delhi SIR?

Form 6 is used to request inclusion in the electoral roll, both by first-time voters and by eligible residents whose names are missing. Because of this, the total number of applications cannot be treated as the number of people seeking restoration after their names were deleted.

According to Hindustan Times (HT), an election official said nearly half of the fresh applications were from first-time voters. The official argued that the relatively low response, despite extensive outreach, showed that the exercise used to identify absent, shifted, dead and duplicate entries was accurate. However, the application figures alone do not explain why other eligible voters have not applied.

To encourage more people to enrol, special camps began on September 20. Officials said more than 89,000 such camps had been held by October 22, during which 1,58,470 Form 6 applications were received. Another round of camps is scheduled for October 25 at Delhi’s 14,947 polling stations.

West Delhi leads Form 6 applications; New Delhi records fewest

The district-wise figures show wide differences across the capital. West Delhi recorded the highest number of applications at 30,361, followed by North West Delhi with 25,925. East Delhi received 24,200 applications, while North East Delhi and South East Delhi recorded 24,136 and 24,153 respectively.

South West Delhi reported 22,098 applications and South Delhi 21,322. The numbers were 18,451 for North Delhi, 17,991 for Outer North Delhi and 16,312 for Central North Delhi. Central Delhi recorded 10,796 applications, Old Delhi 10,668 and New Delhi just 4,341, the lowest in the city.

Officials said the low number in New Delhi district was partly because many former government employees had moved out of official accommodation, with some shifting to Gurugram or their hometowns. Such voters were advised to register where they now live. Some electors registered in more than one place also reportedly preferred to retain their registration in their home state.

What happens to flagged voters and how to check your name

Apart from those left out of the draft roll, about 33 lakh people whose names appeared in the list faced further scrutiny. Of these, around 13.79 lakh could not be linked to the 2002 electoral roll, while 19.33 lakh records had discrepancies.

The CEO's office said about 29.5 lakh of these cases had been resolved or set aside for a decision in the final roll. It has, however, not disclosed how many were rejected.

Residents have been advised to check their names on the Delhi CEO website instead of assuming they are registered. Those who are eligible but missing from the draft list can apply through Form 6, while Form 7 is used to object to an entry or seek deletion. Form 8 can be used for corrections or changes in address.

The extended window for claims and objections will close on October 30. Officials have until November 30 to dispose of the applications and objections, while the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on December 4. Booth-level officers are also visiting neighbourhoods to identify eligible people left out of the draft list and help them apply.

Also Read: Iran plots to target US diplomats as Trump threatens strikes: Report