An analysis reveals that 13.39 lakh voters were removed from Delhi's electoral rolls during the pre-SIR mapping stage. The scale of deletion in early 2026 far exceeds previous years, sparking concerns over transparency.

  • Approximately 13.39 lakh voters were deleted from Delhi's rolls during the pre-SIR mapping phase.
  • Deletions in January 2026 alone surpassed the total deletions of the previous 11 months of 2025.
  • The electorate shrank from 1.56 crore in Feb 2025 to 1.45 crore by June 2026.
  • Former CEC S.Y. Quraishi called the scale of deletion 'unprecedented' and 'highly unusual'.

NEW DELHI: A massive discrepancy has emerged in the management of Delhi's electoral rolls. According to an analysis of data from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), nearly 13.39 lakh voters were removed from the lists during the 'pre-SIR mapping' phase, even before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) officially commenced in June. This trend is unique to Delhi among the 17 states currently undergoing the SIR process.

The Shrinking Electorate

During the Assembly elections in February 2025, Delhi's electorate stood at a robust 1.56 crore. However, by June 16, 2026, when the rolls were frozen for the SIR, that number had plummeted to 1.45 crore. A staggering 93% of this 11.01 lakh decrease occurred during the five-month preparatory period. This indicates a massive contraction of the voting population in a very short window.

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Data highlights show that April 2026 saw a peak of 3.39 lakh deletions in a single month. This stands in stark contrast to the period between February and December 2025, where net deletions were only 75,313.

Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi stated, "This information should have come from the Election Commission itself... There should be no mystery or secrecy about this."

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the lack of transparency regarding the reasons for these deletions—whether they were due to death, shifting, or duplication (ASDD)—poses a significant risk to democratic participation. While officials claim this is part of a "continuous updation of rolls," the absence of a public list detailing the reasons for such a massive scale of removal is highly irregular.

Historical Context & Rules

Under standard Election Commission rules, the 'continuous updation' of rolls requires field verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the issuance of notices to affected individuals. However, many citizens, like 38-year-old Pooja Devi, reported finding themselves missing from the lists without any prior notification or explanation from the authorities.

Did You Know?: The ASDD list (Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate) is the standard method for identifying voters for removal, but its application in the pre-SIR phase in Delhi lacked public scrutiny.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why were so many names deleted in Delhi?
Officials state it was part of routine 'continuous updation,' but no specific reasons or official lists were provided for the 13.39 lakh deletions.

2. How does this compare to other states?
Delhi is the only state in the current Phase-3 SIR group to see such massive deletions specifically during the preparatory mapping phase.