NEW DELHI: The Delhi unit of Congress on Monday alleged that a large number of names were deleted from the electoral rolls at some booths in the Chandni Chowk Assembly constituency during the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR).
In an official statement, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said the party would take up the issue and also raise cases of people who had been rendered homeless recently.
"The Congress party will strongly raise the issue of deletion of a large number of names in some booths of Chandni Chowk Assembly," Yadav was quoted as saying in the party statement.
The party would approach the courts if required and its workers would go door-to-door to assist eligible voters during the claims and objections process.
The remarks came at a training workshop for Congress' booth level agents (BLA-1) from different assembly constituencies of the national capital, where they were briefed on the SIR process and the procedure for assisting voters whose names may not figure in the draft electoral roll.
Yadav said the party would also focus on Dalits, minorities, people living in resettlement colonies and other eligible voters who, it apprehended, could be affected by the revision.
The Congress will set up voter assistance centres in slum clusters, RWA offices, village 'chaupals' and major markets during the claims and objections period, the statement said.
AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin said he had worked on issues concerning voters' rights during the SIR in Uttarakhand and shared his experience with the party workers.
"The basic basis for inclusion of names in the electoral roll is to be an Indian citizen," Nizamuddin said.
Being homeless or not having a permanent address did not affect a person's right to vote, he added.
Nizamuddin said there was anxiety among people over the revision process and Congress workers should assist them in protecting their electoral rights.
The party also briefed the workers on the legal aspects of the SIR, including responding to notices and dealing with discrepancies and anomalies in electoral rolls.
The Delhi CEO's office has said eligible persons whose names do not figure in the electoral roll can apply for inclusion through Form 6 along with the prescribed documents.
The claims and objections period ends on September 30, while the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4.
