4 hrs ago
Sibal Accuses Election Commission of Manipulating Electoral Rolls
The Election Commission of India is checking and updating voter lists.
Kapil Sibal said he and his wife received notices during this process.
He said his name was already on the draft list and questioned why he was asked to explain his details.
Sibal argued that ordinary people may find it even harder to respond to such notices.
He accused officials of removing some real voters and adding people who should not be on the list.
He also questioned whether elections are meaningful if the process is designed to keep one party in power.
Election officials said several prominent people received notices because of discrepancies in their forms.
Officials also said Rekha Gupta’s entry was validated and that her name would remain on the final list.
The final electoral roll for her constituency is scheduled to be published on November 4.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal criticized the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Sibal said he and his wife received notices despite his name appearing in the draft register.
He alleged that valid voters were being deleted while fabricated or invalid voters were added.
Sibal questioned the Election Commission of India’s process and alleged it could favor the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Officials said notices were issued to several prominent voters, while Rekha Gupta’s entry was validated for the final roll.
- Who
- Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal criticized the Election Commission of India; officials also cited notices involving Rekha Gupta and Arvind Kejriwal.
- What
- Sibal alleged that the Special Intensive Revision was deleting valid votes and adding invalid or fabricated votes.
- Where
- Sibal made the remarks at a press conference in New Delhi; the report also referred to West Bengal.
- When
- The remarks were reported on September 20 during the ongoing revision process.
- Why
- Sibal said he was issued a notice over an alleged mismatch in electoral-roll details and questioned the broader purpose of the revision.
Sibal's allegations
Election officials' stated position
Purpose and effect of the revision
Sibal's allegations
Sibal described the exercise as special intensive deletion of valid votes and addition of invalid or fabricated votes, alleging it could help keep the Bharatiya Janata Party in power.
Election officials' stated position
Officials presented the process as a review of electoral-roll details and said notices were issued over discrepancies in submitted enumeration forms.
Notices to voters
Sibal's allegations
Sibal said receiving a notice despite being listed in the draft register showed a lack of care and warned that ordinary voters might struggle to respond.
Election officials' stated position
The officials cited in the report said several prominent voters received notices because of discrepancies; they also said Rekha Gupta's entry was validated.
Electoral safeguards
Sibal's allegations
Sibal questioned why elections should be held if the Election Commission of India intended to favor one party and said affected voters might need to approach the Supreme Court of India.
Election officials' stated position
The report does not include a direct response from the Election Commission of India to Sibal's broader allegations.
Key facts
- Revision process
- Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls
- Sibal's complaint
- He said he received a notice despite appearing in the draft register.
- Notice explanation
- The notice cited a mismatch involving his and his father's names between current and previous electoral rolls.
- Sibal's allegation
- He alleged that valid voters were being deleted and invalid or fabricated voters were being added.
- Other prominent voters
- Officials said Rekha Gupta, Arvind Kejriwal and Sibal received notices over discrepancies in enumeration forms.
- Rekha Gupta's status
- Her entry was validated, and officials said her name would be included in the final Shalimar Bagh electoral roll.
- Publication date
- The final electoral roll for Shalimar Bagh was scheduled for November 4.
Quotes
Kapil Sibal
Independent Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister
“What kind of special intensive revision is it? Special intensive deletion and special intensive addition, delete valid votes and add invalid votes. That is what this is all about.”
theprint.in
“Till date, I have not got a physical copy of the notice sent to me. I don’t have a copy; it has not been served here, it’s not in my office.”
theprint.in









