Chandni Chowk Polling Station Sees 632 Voters Deleted, Only 1 Remains in Delhi SIR Draft Roll National Herald survey finds Part 33 (old) Lal Qila-Yamuna Bridge station voters marked 'shifted' despite 2025 voting. Polity · 13 Sep 2026 · GS: GS2, Essay · Exam yield: High WHY THIS MATTERS The Delhi SIR deletions expose a steep drop in voter rolls, questioning inclusion of urban poor in democracy. For UPSC, it tests grasp of electoral law, ECI powers and balancing accuracy with franchise. IN PLAIN WORDS Every few years the Election Commission of India (ECI) cleans the voter list to remove dead or relocated people and add new voters; this deep cleanup is called a Special Intensive Revision (SIR). In Delhi, the 2026 SIR involved house-to-house visits before the next polls. This story sits where federal electoral management meets the rights of poor slum dwellers near the Yamuna river. In Chandni Chowk’s Lal Qila-Yamuna Bridge booth (old Part 33), the January 2025 roll had 909 voters. Before SIR, 180 names were already removed, leaving 729. During revision, officials collected just one enumeration form; the rest were tagged "shifted" (632), "dead" (42), "duplicate" (10), "absent" (1) or "others" like refused to sign or house demolished (43). The 31 August 2026 draft left only one voter. Residents say they live there, voted in 2025 and submitted forms, but are now asked for bills or land proof. Think of the voter list as a hostel guest register; if the manager strikes names without asking guests, they lose meal rights. The ECI says the draft is not final and Form 6 can restore names, yet activists argue the proof burden falls on the weak. The episode tests whether clean rolls can coexist with inclusive suffrage. KEY FACTS • Residents of Chandni Chowk Assembly constituency's Lal Qila-Yamuna Bridge polling station (Part 33 old) affected. • 2025 electoral roll had ~927 voters; before 2026 SIR dropped to 729; post-revision draft shows only 1. • 632 voters removed marked as 'shifted' though they voted in 2025 Assembly elections. • Residents approached EC; officials allegedly responded (details truncated in report). HOW WE GOT HERE The Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RPA 1950) empowers the ECI to prepare electoral rolls; Section 19 defines "ordinary resident" as the enrolment criterion. Periodic revisions are routine: Annual Intensive Revision and SIR for deeper cleanup. Delhi’s last full SIR was decades ago; the 2026 exercise updated rolls before future polls. The roll of 17 January 2025 (qualifying date 1 January 2025) for Chandni Chowk booth 33 listed 909 voters. Voter Adhikar Manch data shows 3,12,935 citywide deletions between May–June 2026 before SIR. Delhi CEO uploaded BLO-BLA minutes of 11 August 2026 showing 729 electors prior to SIR. The draft of 31 August 2026 revealed just one elector. The ECI manual permits homeless registration without fixed-address proof, but field staff sought utility bills. THE BIGGER PICTURE Constitutional — Legal framework of roll revision Section 19 of RPA 1950 requires ordinary residence for enrolment; ECI draws power from Article 324 to supervise rolls. The 2026 SIR used Enumeration Forms and ASDD categories. Delhi CEO clarified draft is not final; Form 6 claims allowed till 30 Sep 2026. The case tests whether executive deletion without reasoned order violates natural justice under Article 14. → RPA 1950 and Article 324 govern revision; due process essential. Social — Exclusion of slum and homeless voters Residents of JJ Bela Estate and Yamuna jhuggis, displaced by 2003 and 2023 demolitions, voted in 2024 LS and 2025 Assembly but were marked "shifted". Voter Adhikar Manch notes 58,60,423 fewer Delhi electors in draft vs Jan 2025. ECI manual recognises homeless voting rights, yet field staff demanded water/electricity bills. This mirrors systemic exclusion of urban poor from citizenship documentation. → Marginalised groups bear brunt of documentation-based deletion. Political — Role of party agents and EC credibility BLO-BLA meeting minutes of 11 Aug 2026 were signed only by BJP’s BLA Gaytri Devi, though records say two party agents attended; opposition presence absent. The BJP-ruled MCD and Delhi CEOffice face suspicion of targeted deletion of slum voters. Transparency activist Anjali Bhardwaj flagged the anomaly publicly. Such partisan sign-off weakens trust in SIR neutrality ahead of critical elections. → Sole BJP BLA sign-off raises impartiality concerns. Ethical — Democratic inclusion vs accuracy Deleting 908 of 909 voters from a booth appears disproportionate; SDM allegedly cited flood-prone DDA land to deny enrolment. Ethically, shifting burden to prove residence via Form 6 on homeless contradicts ECI’s own manual. The principle of "no voter left behind" clashes with drive for clean rolls, risking silent disenfranchisement of weakest. → Ethical duty to protect franchise of vulnerable. THE BIG DEBATE Is the massive deletion in Chandni Chowk SIR a necessary cleansing or arbitrary disenfranchisement? For: • Slum demolitions and flooding make many dwellings illegal; roll must reflect real residents only. • ECI draft is provisional; Form 6 mechanism ensures genuine voters can reclaim names easily. • ASDD categories follow standard procedure to remove duplicate and dead entries efficiently. Against: • Residents voted in 2025 and submitted forms; marking 632 as "shifted" lacks field verification. • Demanding property proofs from homeless violates ECI manual and Section 19 spirit of inclusion. • Sole BJP BLA signature hints at partisan process undermining opposition oversight. The balanced take: While electoral purity is legitimate, the scale and process flaws here skew toward exclusion; the ECI must suo motu restore wrongly deleted names and audit SDM-EC interface to uphold Article 326 universal suffrage. ANSWER IT IN MAINS Examine the role of the Election Commission of India in ensuring inclusive electoral rolls while maintaining accuracy. (GS2) (GS2) How to attack it: Introduce SIR 2026 Delhi case; discuss Article 324 and RPA 1950; analyse exclusion of homeless; conclude with tech+community fix. Quote this: Cite Voter Adhikar Manch data: 58,60,423 drop; ECI manual homeless provision. Analyze the implications of Special Intensive Revision on marginalised communities with reference to recent Delhi incidents. (GS2) (GS2) How to attack it: Hook with Chandni Chowk 1-voter case; link to Section 19 RPA; weigh accuracy vs inclusion; suggest suo motu restoration. Quote this: Quote CEO minutes 11 Aug 2026: 632 marked shifted; Anjali Bhardwaj statement. Discuss the balance between cleansing electoral rolls and protecting franchise in context of recent revisions. (GS2) (GS2) How to attack it: Open with Delhi deletions; explain ASDD process; highlight ethical duty; recommend independent audit and Form 6 extension. Quote this: Reference ECI manual and Voter Adhikar Manch memorandum 2026. PRELIMS QUICK-FIRE • [Data] Delhi SIR draft (31 Aug 2026) left 1 voter in Chandni Chowk booth 33, from 729 pre-SIR [CEO Delhi 2026]. — Pre-SIR count was 729, not 909; 180 deleted earlier. • [Data] Voter Adhikar Manch: Delhi electors fell from 1,56,14,000 (Jan 2025) to 97,53,577 (Aug 2026) [2026]. — Reduction 58.6 lakh; not all due to SIR alone. • [Constitution] Section 19 RPA 1950 defines "ordinary resident" as basis for voter enrolment [Act 1950]. — Not 'citizen' alone; residence key. • [Term] ASDD categories: Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate used in Delhi SIR deletions [CEO minutes 2026]. — 43 'others' included refused sign/demolished. • [Body/Institution] ECI manual recognises homeless persons' right to register as voters without address proof [ECI]. — Field demands for bills contradict manual. • [Term] Form 6 used to claim inclusion in draft roll; deadline 30 Sep 2026 per Delhi CEO [2026]. — Form 6 is for new enrolment, not just correction. • [Body/Institution] BLO-BLA meeting 11 Aug 2026 signed only by BJP BLA Gaytri Devi [QOSHE 2026]. — BLA is party appointed, not official. WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN 1. Suo motu restoration of voters on ASDD list without fresh Form 6 Prevents bureaucratic burden on poor who already submitted enumeration forms. (Voter Adhikar Manch memorandum to Delhi CEO (2026)) 2. Independent audit of BLO-BLA minutes and SDM deletion orders Checks partisan signatures and ensures reasoned orders under RPA. (ECI manual for electoral roll revision) 3. Use community certificates and BLO witness for homeless enrolment Aligns with ECI manual right of homeless to register without bills. (ECI Election Manual (homeless voter provision)) 4. Extend Form 6 deadline beyond 30 Sep 2026 for affected clusters Allows rehabilitation-affected residents time to gather proofs. JARGON, DEMYSTIFIED • Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — Deep house-to-house cleanup of electoral roll by ECI using enumeration forms to add/delete voters. (Distinct from annual revision.) • Election Commission of India (ECI) — Constitutional body under Article 324; state unit led by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) supervises rolls. (Independent authority.) • Representation of the People Act 1950 (RPA 1950) — Law empowering ECI to prepare rolls; Section 19 sets "ordinary resident" as enrolment criterion. (Key for voter eligibility.) • Absent Shifted Dead Duplicate (ASDD) — ECI categories to flag voters for deletion during revision; includes "others" like demolished homes. (Used in Delhi SIR.) • Booth Level Officer (BLO) — Grassroots official who enumerates voters; works with SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) for verification. (Frontline of SIR.) • Booth Level Agent (BLA) — Political party representative at booth who witnesses deletion; ensures partisan check on process. (Only BJP BLA signed in case.) • Form 6 — Application to include name in electoral roll; deadline 30 Sep 2026 for Delhi claimants. (Not only for correction.) REVISE IN 30 SECONDS • Chandni Chowk booth: 729 voters pre-SIR, 1 in draft 31 Aug 2026. • 632 marked 'shifted' despite 2025 voting; residents submitted forms. • Voter Adhikar Manch: Delhi roll dropped 58.6 lakh from Jan 2025. • ECI manual allows homeless registration without utility bills. • Form 6 deadline 30 Sep 2026 to restore names. STUDY NEXT Static links: Representation of the People Act 1950, Election Commission powers, Electoral reforms Essay angle: Is electoral purity coming at the cost of inclusive democracy? Interview probe: How would you handle SIR deletions as a DM to protect slum voters? SOURCES • ‘We voted in 2025, now our names are gone’: Delhi residents question SIR deletions — https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/politics/we-voted-in-2025-now-our-names-are-gone-delhi-residents-question-sir-deletions Source: Chandni Chowk Polling Station Sees 632 Voters Deleted, Only 1 Remains in Delhi SIR Draft Roll — https://upsc.cortexdesk.in/current-affairs/kd744dsh4j08tgptthn8sm3vbd8e914v
