Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Rahul Gandhi Challenges Bela Estate Voter Deletions, Poll Body Responds
Rahul Gandhi says many people in Bela Estate were removed from Delhi’s voter list.
He said 727 out of 728 residents were affected after a voter-list review.
Gandhi visited the area and spoke with residents and a local official.
He said the residents had lived there for many years and had voted in recent elections.
He also argued that people should not lose voting rights because they do not have formal homes.
The Election Commission gave a different explanation.
It said the homes had been demolished in 2022-23 and that residents were no longer living at their registered addresses.
The Commission said the voters were placed on a special list and that they could seek inclusion through the claims and objections process.
Gandhi called the situation “vote theft,” while the Commission reiterated its commitment to inclusive elections.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that 727 of Bela Estate’s 728 residents were removed from electoral rolls after the Special Intensive Revision.
He visited the Yamuna-side locality, spoke with residents, and questioned an SDM by phone about the deletions.
Gandhi said residents had lived there for decades and voted in the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.
The Election Commission said the concerned Electoral Registration Officer had addressed the matter and that deadlines for claims and objections were extended.
Gandhi called the deletions “vote theft,” while the Commission said demolished homes and changed residential conditions led voters to be placed on the ASDD list.
- Who
- Congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, Bela Estate residents, an SDM, and the Election Commission.
- What
- Gandhi alleged that 727 of 728 residents were deleted from the electoral rolls after the Special Intensive Revision; the Election Commission said the deletions followed changes in the area’s residential status.
- When
- The visit, protests, and statements were reported on Monday; the articles do not provide a specific date.
- Where
- Bela Estate, a Yamuna-side locality in Delhi.
- Why
- Gandhi said residents’ voting rights were wrongly affected, while the Commission cited demolished dwellings and residents no longer living at their registered addresses.
Gandhi and Residents’ Concerns
Election Commission’s Explanation
Reason for voter deletions
Gandhi and Residents’ Concerns
Gandhi alleged that 727 residents were removed after the Special Intensive Revision and called the action a method of “vote theft.”
Election Commission’s Explanation
The Election Commission said the dwelling units had been demolished in 2022-23, residents were no longer at their registered addresses, and their status as ordinary residents had changed.
Voting without formal housing
Gandhi and Residents’ Concerns
Gandhi argued that having a house should not determine a person’s right to vote and referred to the Commission’s “House Number 0” clarification for homeless voters.
Election Commission’s Explanation
The Commission’s cited explanation focused on registered addresses, physical changes to the area, and the process for applying for inclusion; it did not directly address Gandhi’s broader argument about homelessness.
Handling the dispute
Gandhi and Residents’ Concerns
Gandhi demanded accountability, criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and said the system behind the decision should answer.
Election Commission’s Explanation
The Commission said the issue had already been addressed by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer, extended the claims-and-objections period, and reiterated its commitment to transparent and inclusive polling.
- Locality
- Bela Estate along the Yamuna in Delhi
- Residents cited by Gandhi
- 728
- Names allegedly remaining
- One
- Names allegedly deleted
- 727
- Elections cited
- 2024 Lok Sabha elections and 2025 Delhi Assembly elections
- Commission’s explanation
- Homes were demolished in 2022-23 and residents were no longer at their registered addresses
- Administrative response
- The concerned Electoral Registration Officer had addressed the matter, and claims-and-objections deadlines were extended
