NEW DELHI: The announcement of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Delhi has set the stage for a political battle, with parties mobilising their cadres ahead of the exercise. The revision, being conducted across the country after Bihar, will take place in the capital for the first time in 23 years. While its date is yet to be notified, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has already begun preparations.
The BJP has announced plans for a mass awareness campaign to counter what it calls “misinformation” by rival parties. Sources in the party said booth-level workers will be deployed across the city to engage with voters and explain the process. “The workers will give correct information about SIR to the people and will alert them against the propaganda of the opposition,” a senior BJP leader said.
According to the guidelines, the current rolls will be cross-verified with the 2002 voter list. Voters whose names appear in both lists will not be required to submit documents to their Booth Level Officer (BLO). Others will need to furnish documents for verification. Booth Level Agents (BLAs), nominated by political parties, will also assist BLOs in matching names, helping voters with documentation, and identifying fake entries.
Opposition parties, however, view the exercise with suspicion. Delhi Congress leaders alleged that the BJP had prior knowledge of the move and was better prepared to capitalise on it. “Watching the preparation, it seems the BJP had the idea of the exercise in advance. However, we are also ready with our representatives at each booth who will ensure that no genuine voters are excluded from the rolls,” said Rakesh Garg, chairperson of the party’s Booth Management Committee.
Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav accused the ruling party of using SIR as a tool to target opposition voters. “If the SIR in Bihar was used to delete names of opposition supporters and add votes for the BJP under the guise of transparency, then the same opaque process will now be carried out in Delhi,” he alleged. He further claimed that linking the current rolls with those of 2002 would “exclude a large number of genuine voters.”
The BJP rejected these charges, insisting the revision was necessary to cleanse the rolls. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the party would continue to ensure that only legitimate voters remained on the list. “For the past 20 years, AAP and Congress have created fake votes in Delhi through fraudulent registrations. We will not allow fake names or infiltrators in the voter list,” he said.