Over 40% Voters Deleted Across 13 Delhi Assembly Seats in Draft Rolls
Thirteen of Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies have seen more than 40 percent of their registered voters removed from draft electoral rolls prepared under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with Southeast Delhi’s Tughlakabad recording the highest deletion rate at 47.8 percent.
Other constituencies with over 40 percent removals include Okhla at 45.2 percent, RK Puram at 44.4 percent, Kasturba Nagar at 43.9 percent, Kalkaji at 42.7 percent, Badarpur at 42.5 percent, New Delhi at 41.6 percent, Jangpura at 41.4 percent, Mehrauli at 41 percent, Patel Nagar at 40.7 percent, Sangam Vihar at 40.7 percent, Karol Bagh at 40.4 percent, and Patparganj at 40 percent.
Tenants and migrant workers relocating to neighboring areas have emerged as primary factors behind the high deletion rates across these constituencies. In Tughlakabad, which comprises village settlements, unauthorised colonies, and dense residential neighbourhoods, South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri noted that many migrant workers shifted their base to Noida, Faridabad, and Gurgaon.
In terms of absolute numbers, Burari recorded the highest total deletions in the city, with 1,67,885 out of 4,28,480 registered electors missing from the draft rolls because their enumeration forms were not submitted and could not be verified, leading to a 39.4 percent deletion rate.
Political parties have presented contrasting stances regarding the revision exercise. The governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stated that every eligible voter has been included on the draft rolls. Sangam Vihar MLA Chandan Chaudhary of the BJP also cited migration to Noida, Gurgaon, and Bihar as a primary factor, while projecting that 10 to 15 percent of excluded electors could be restored. In RK Puram, BJP MLA Anil Sharma noted that deletion rates were higher in upscale colonies than slum areas due to government employee transfers.
Conversely, the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that booth-level officers (BLOs) failed to visit all households properly. Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha argued the process disenfranchised electors and demanded that those excluded receive complete details on how to take remedial steps.
In contrast, Shakur Basti recorded a lower deletion rate of 18.7 percent, which BJP MLA Karnail Singh attributed to fewer migrant workers and unauthorised colonies alongside adequate awareness campaigns.
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office stated that all deletions were conducted according to prescribed procedures. The Election Commission has provided a window from August 31 to September 30 for voters who were left off the rolls to file claims and objections.
