NEW DELHI: In a firm rebuttal, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday dismissed allegations of tampering with the voter list for the assembly elections and assured that the commission’s strict procedures eliminate any such possibility.
He emphasised that the process for additions and deletions is transparent, rigorous, and immune to arbitrary changes.
Addressing concerns raised by CM Atishi about potential voter list manipulation in the New Delhi constituency, he said: “Every step of the electoral roll process is rooted in transparency and accountability. Deletion of names is not possible without adhering to strict protocols, and every party has the right to raise objections at various stages.”
The CEC outlined the panel’s approach to adding or removing names. “Additions are verified extensively by BLOs, whereas removals, especially those exceeding a 2% threshold at any polling station or due to death, necessitate additional cross-verification and documentary evidence, such as certified death certificates. Also, a period is allocated for public objections following the online publication of the notices.”
Criticising the timing of raising such claims, he said they tend to surface around poll periods.
Kumar argued that allegations of mass deletions are misleading without evidence and undermine public trust in the system. “Where every vote matters, raising doubts about the deletion of thousands of names without evidence is misleading. The processes we follow leave no room for manipulation.”
The CEC added that political parties were involved at every stage of voter list preparation with full disclosure.
On the allegations of manipulation of EVMs, Kumar said that courts have ruled on 42 occasions that voting machines are not hackable.