NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has questioned the Election Commission over the deletion of hundreds of names from the electoral rolls in Delhi’s Bela Estate, alleging that the development was another instance of “vote theft”.
In a post on X, Gandhi referred to the case of Bela Estate, where, according to his claim, 727 of 728 voters were removed from the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He also criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying that while the CEC would eventually leave office, the system behind the process would also have to answer for its actions.
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The Election Commission, however, said the issue had already been addressed by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). It also said the period for filing claims and objections had been extended, allowing affected residents an opportunity to raise their concerns.
The Commission has maintained that the electoral-roll revision process is being carried out in accordance with established procedures and has reiterated its commitment to transparent and inclusive elections.
The Bela Estate issue comes amid a wider political debate over the ongoing revision of electoral rolls. Gandhi and other opposition leaders have raised concerns over voter exclusions, while the Election Commission has defended the process and said mechanisms are available for voters to seek corrections or inclusion in the electoral rolls.
The Election Commission’s published SIR schedule lists Delhi among the states and Union territories undergoing the revision process, with the draft electoral roll published on August 5 and the claims-and-objections period scheduled through October 3.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
