Atishi: Centre manipulating electoral rolls ahead of polls

The BJP dismissed her allegations and said the Delhi CM was ‘spreading misinformation’ to distract the public of the AAP’s ‘impending defeat’ defeat in the upcoming polls.

Chief minister Atishi on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of “misusing government machinery” to “remove large number of voters from the electoral rolls” ahead of the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. She alleged that the BJP was allegedly “pressuring” election and booth-level officers (BLOs) to delete the names of thousands of people, she claimed were “Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters”.

Delhi CM Atishi addresses a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

Later, she wrote to chief secretary Dharmendra seeking a probe into the alleged manipulation in the electoral roll.

The BJP dismissed her allegations and said the Delhi CM was “spreading misinformation” to distract the public of the AAP’s “impending defeat” defeat in the upcoming polls.

Atishi said that 29 sub-divisional magistrates and additional district magistrates were transferred by the Centre-appointed lieutenant governor VK Saxena in October to implement these changes.

Officials in the LG secretariat and the Election Commission of India did not respond to HT’s queries for a comment on the allegations.

In a post on X, Atishi wrote: “The central government is hatching a huge conspiracy against the people of Delhi...Under this conspiracy, 29 SDM-ADMs of Delhi were transferred on 28 October and after that the officers were ordered to cut votes on a large scale. Now orders are being given to AEROs (Assistant Electoral Registration Officers)-BLOs from SDM offices. They are being given a voter list which contains the names of Aam Aadmi Party voters and they have to delete them from the voter list.”

In her letter to the chief secretary later in the day, Atishi demanded that a committee be formed to probe the alleged manipulation. “The committee should call the ADMs, SDMs, AEROs and BLOs...to systematically investigate the entire chain of decision making and implementation of voters list manipulation in connivance with political parties...,” her letter reads.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the allegations have been levelled to “distract the public from their (AAP’s) impending defeat”. He asked the AAP to file a complaint in this regard with ECI or move court.

Assembly elections in Delhi are expected to be held early next year.

and election workers to collect evidence against those pressuring them.

“Strict action can be taken against these officers,” she added. “We will take action on the concerned officer...If anyone asks you to perform a wrong act, use your phones to record the calls and meeting,” she said.

In her letter to the chief secretary later in the day, Atishi demanded that a committee be formed comprising retired officers or retired judges of the high court or the Supreme Court to probe the alleged manipulation.

“The committee should call the ADMs, SDMs, AEROs and BLOs who fall under the jurisdiction of the aforementioned officers to systematically investigate the entire chain of decision making and implementation of voters list manipulation in connivance with political parties...,” her letter adds.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that the allegations have been levelled against his party to o “distract the public from their (AAP’s) impending defeat”. He also asked the AAP leaders to file a complaint in this regard with the Election Commission or seek redressal through the judiciary. “No matter how much political noise the AAP leaders make, their departure from Delhi is certain in February 2025,” he said.

The Delhi assembly elections are expected early next year, with the final electoral roll scheduled for release on January 6, 2025, according to the chief electoral officer.