Voter ID alone doesn't ensure voting rights: Delhi chief electoral officer

Delhi's Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls nears completion and the final voter list will be published on January 6, 2025

Ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi is conducting a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls with January 1, 2025, as the qualifying date. A statement issued on Tuesday clarified that merely possessing a voter ID card does not automatically grant the right to vote.

 

This initiative follows guidelines from the Election Commission to ensure that electoral rolls are up-to-date and inclusive of all eligible voters.

 

During the pre-revision phase, booth level officers conducted house-to-house verification between August 20 and October 18, 2024. This process aimed to identify unregistered eligible citizens, individuals turning 18 by October 1, 2024, as well as voters who had relocated, passed away, or whose names appeared in duplicate on the rolls.

 

Public claims and objections

Draft electoral rolls were released on October 29, 2024, inviting public claims and objections until November 28, 2024. All claims and objections were addressed by December 24, 2024. The final electoral roll, incorporating these updates, is scheduled for release on January 6, 2025, the report said.

 

The CEO’s office noted that updating electoral rolls is a continuous process. Between November 29, 2024, and now, as many as 485,624 applications for new voter registrations (Form 6), 82,450 for deletions (Form 7), and 171,385 for modifications (Form 8) have been received.

 

Citizens yet to register as voters can still apply using Form 6, accompanied by the required documents for verification by the booth level officer. Modifications or deletions can be requested through Form 7, and Form 8.

 

The CEO Office reminded citizens that having multiple entries in the electoral roll or possessing multiple voter ID cards is punishable under Sections 17 and 18 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Recently, FIRs were lodged against eight individuals in the Okhla Assembly constituency for submitting false documents for voter registration.

 

To ensure transparency, the CEO’s office held meetings with political party representatives on September 4, October 9, and October 29.

How can unregistered eligible citizens enroll?

Unregistered eligible citizens can still enroll by submitting Form 6 along with supporting documents. The form is assigned to the respective Booth Level Officer for field verification, following which the Electoral Registration Officer disposes of the form based on the verification report and documentation.

 

Once a voter’s name is added to the electoral roll, an EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) PDF is generated and sent for printing. After printing, the card is delivered via post, and voters can also download their e-EPIC from the official ECI portal (https://voters.eci.gov.in).

 

For cases involving permanent relocation or death, any elector in the relevant Assembly Constituency can file Form 7 to request deletion from the electoral roll. Notices are sent to the concerned parties via speed post as per ECI guidelines, except in cases of registered deaths. If no response is received, the name is removed from the electoral roll after due process and sufficient opportunity for response.