11.73 Lakh Voters at Risk: Sanjay Singh Urges ECI to Protect Delhi Voting Rights
AAP MP Sanjay Singh writes to the ECI to protect the voting rights of 11.73 lakh voters marked absent during Delhi's Special Intensive Revision.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has formally approached the Election Commission of India (ECI), demanding urgent intervention to safeguard the voting rights of approximately 11.73 lakh citizens. These individuals were marked as "absent" or "untraceable" during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi.
In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Singh called for the immediate implementation of directives issued by the Supreme Court on October 28 during hearings regarding the Delhi SIR matter. The MP highlighted a critical issue where eligible voters, whose names were removed and placed on the Absent, Shifted, Dead, and Duplicate (ASDD) list, are facing hurdles in reclaiming their right to vote.
The Numbers Behind the Deletions
According to the letter sent by the AAP MP, the scale of deletions during the first phase of the revision process is significant. Out of 47 lakh voters placed on the ASDD list in Delhi:
- 31.59 lakh voters have been categorized as "permanently shifted."
- 11.73 lakh voters have been marked as "untraceable" or "absent" because they failed to submit their Enumeration Forms within the specified deadline.
The 'Structural Incongruity' of Form 6
Sanjay Singh pointed out a major procedural flaw that the Supreme Court had previously identified as a "structural incongruity." He noted that voters whose names were deleted during the SIR process were being forced to fill out Form 6 to get back on the rolls. However, Form 6 requires the applicant to declare that they are a first-time voter—a statement that is factually incorrect for those who were previously registered.
Referencing the court's oral directions, Singh stated that voters who shifted residences should be allowed to use Form 8, which is the statutory form designed specifically for corrections and changes of residence. He argued that people often move for economic reasons or to be closer to their jobs, and they should not be disenfranchised because of it.
The Failure of the Enumeration Process
The MP highlighted a loophole in the ECI's current procedures. He mentioned that according to the FAQ issued by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi (specifically Question 30), any individual not found at their pre-SIR electoral roll address was not provided with an Enumeration Form. This systematic exclusion has left lakhs of voters in limbo.
Supreme Court's Stance on Voting Rights
Singh reminded the ECI that a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Justice Bagchi, and Justice Mohana had emphasized that the right to vote is vital. The court observed that the mere failure to submit an Enumeration Form by a deadline should not result in the forfeiture of this fundamental right.
To rectify this, the Supreme Court directed the ECI to:
- Make every possible effort to reach excluded voters.
- Ensure the ASDD list and necessary forms (Form 8 and Enumeration Forms) are available at the booth and block levels.
- Provide active assistance to citizens in filling out these forms.
- Make all relevant documentation available in Hindi and launch wide publicity campaigns to inform voters.
Call for a Simplified Mechanism
While welcoming the ECI's decision to extend the timeline for the Delhi SIR process, Sanjay Singh urged the poll body and the CEO of Delhi to establish a simplified and publicized mechanism for implementation.
"Clear instructions must be issued to accept Form 8 and Enumeration Forms from voters on the ASDD list, without compelling them to submit Form 6, which contains a declaration of being a first-time voter," the letter stated.
The AAP leader concluded by urging the ECI to take immediate action to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the electoral rolls due to procedural errors or rigid deadlines.