Notices Do Not Mean Name Deletion’: EC Clarifies After Kejriwal, Jaishankar, Advani Get SIR Letters

The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday clarified that notices issued to voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi do not mean their names will be deleted from the voter list.

The clarification came after several prominent political figures received notices over discrepancies in their electoral details. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal were among the 33.1 lakh electors who received notices, according to election officials. The Delhi CEO’s office later said Gupta’s name had been validated following verification.

BJP veteran LK Advani, former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and BJP MLA Kailash Gahlot were also among those issued notices over discrepancies identified during the SIR exercise.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar and Election Commissioner SS Sandhu were also issued notices over discrepancies in details submitted during the electoral roll revision process.

The CEO’s office stressed that no voter’s name can be deleted without providing an opportunity to be heard and passing a proper, reasoned and appealable order.

“All stakeholders are hereby informed that the issue of Notice does not mean that their names will be deleted from the electoral rolls of NCT of Delhi,” the CEO’s office said.

It added that system-generated notices were being issued to facilitate correction of data in the ECINET system.

“No name can be deleted without giving an opportunity of being heard and a proper speaking and appealable order,” the office said.

The Delhi CEO’s office also rejected reports suggesting an “existential crisis” had arisen because of the notices.

Why Are Notices Being Issued During Delhi SIR?

The draft electoral roll was prepared using details submitted by voters through Enumeration Forms to Booth Level Officers (BLOs). It was published on August 31 and is available on the Delhi CEO website, at Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) offices, and at designated polling station locations.

The Election Commission announced the SIR in Delhi on May 14 with the objective of ensuring that “No eligible citizen is left out while no ineligible person is included in the Electoral Roll.”

As part of the exercise, voters in the draft roll have been categorised based on whether their entries, or those of their progeny, could be mapped or linked with electoral rolls from the previous intensive revision.

Notices are being issued to voters whose entries could not be linked with the electoral roll from the last intensive revision, as well as those for whom “logical discrepancies” were identified during the linking process.

Voters Can Submit Documents

Voters who receive notices can submit their replies and supporting documents to the concerned ERO or BLO. The CEO’s office said the list of documents prescribed by the Election Commission is “only indicative, not exhaustive”.

EROs, acting as statutory authorities, will decide individual cases after considering the documents submitted and the reports provided by BLOs.

The process of disposing of the notices is scheduled to be completed by October 29. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4, after the disposal of the cases.