2 days ago
Kejriwal Attacks Delhi SIR Roll as BJP Defends Revision
Delhi has published a draft list of registered voters after checking the electoral rolls.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said 47 lakh names were missing from the list.
He warned that the process could remove many people from official records.
The BJP said the checking process was transparent and lasted nearly four months.
BJP leader Harsh Malhotra said some people had been registered as voters in multiple places.
He said eligible people whose names are missing can apply again after September 1.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the changes could hurt poor people.
The two parties are arguing over whether the revision is a fair cleanup or unfair exclusion.
Arvind Kejriwal said 47 lakh names were missing from Delhi’s draft roll of 1.5 crore voters.
Kejriwal claimed the revision could reduce India’s population from 140 crore to 50 crore.
Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra said duplicate registrations were removed and the process was transparent.
Malhotra urged Kejriwal to submit cases of eligible voters who were excluded to the Election Commission.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP government of pursuing an anti-poor “Garib Bhagao” policy.
- Who
- Arvind Kejriwal and Saurabh Bharadwaj of the Aam Aadmi Party criticized the revision; Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra defended it.
- What
- A political dispute has followed the publication of Delhi’s draft electoral roll under the Special Intensive Revision, with AAP alleging mass exclusions and the BJP defending the process.
- Where
- Delhi, India.
- When
- The draft electoral roll was published on Monday; Malhotra said excluded eligible voters could apply again after September 1.
- Why
- AAP says large numbers of voters, particularly poor people, may have been excluded, while the BJP says duplicate registrations were removed through a transparent verification process.
AAP’s allegations
BJP’s response
Scale and purpose of exclusions
AAP’s allegations
AAP says 47 lakh names are missing from Delhi’s draft roll and portrays the revision as a major and potentially unfair removal of voters.
BJP’s response
The BJP says the revision removed people who were registered as voters in multiple places and was conducted through a transparent process.
Impact on poorer residents
AAP’s allegations
Saurabh Bharadwaj calls the BJP government’s approach an anti-poor “Garib Bhagao” policy that could take rights away from poor people.
BJP’s response
Harsh Malhotra says eligible voters who were left out can submit a fresh registration application with proof of being valid voters in Delhi.
Political and demographic claims
AAP’s allegations
Kejriwal questioned whether a third of Delhi’s residents could be Bangladeshis, while accusing the authorities of unnecessarily focusing on population figures.
BJP’s response
The BJP rejected Kejriwal’s criticism, saying AAP did not object during the nearly four-month exercise and should present specific cases to the Election Commission.
Key facts
- Revision
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Delhi’s electoral roll
- Reported voter base
- About 1.5 crore voters
- Names reported missing
- 47 lakh names
- Kejriwal’s claim
- The process could reduce India’s population from 140 crore to 50 crore
- BJP’s explanation
- Some supporters were registered as voters at two or three places and were removed
- Application option
- Eligible voters whose names are missing can apply afresh after September 1
- Process duration
- The BJP said the exercise continued for nearly four months
Quotes
Saurabh Bharadwaj
AAP Delhi unit president
“The draft voter list for Delhi under SIR has been released. Out of 1.5 crore voters, the names of 47 lakh voters are missing. The Government of India is unnecessarily worried about the population. Through SIR, the Election Commission will reduce our country’s population from 140 crore to 50 crore.”
indianexpress.com
timesnownews.com
“Kejriwal’s problem is that many of his supporters who were registered as voters at two or three places have been removed from the electoral roll issued after the SIR.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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