Delhi removes nearly one-third of voters from draft electoral roll after revision exercise

The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer has released the draft voter list following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, excluding approximately 4.77 million names out of the capital's total 14.5 million registered voters. This means nearly one in every three voters has been left out of the draft electoral roll, marking what is reported to be the highest deletion rate among states and union territories in India.

The SIR process involved door-to-door enumeration conducted between June 30 and August 17, 2026. During this period, enumeration forms were received and digitized for around 67.18 percent of voters, approximately 9.75 million, whose names have been included in the draft list. The remaining 4.77 million voters have been placed under the ASDDO category, which covers Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Others. These voters either did not submit their forms or provided incomplete information, leading to their exclusion from the draft roll.

The Election Commission has provided an opportunity for affected voters to file claims and objections. Citizens can submit Form-6 along with necessary documents such as Aadhaar, voter ID, and address proof until September 30, 2026. Applications can be submitted online or at the electoral officer's office. The scrutiny and disposal of claims and objections will continue until October 29, with the final voter list scheduled for publication on November 4, 2026. Voters can verify their names on the Election Commission's official website or through the voter helpline.

Political parties have responded to this development, with some opposition leaders calling it a step affecting voter rights. The Election Commission has defended the process as necessary to maintain a clean and updated voter list, explaining that many excluded names involve people who have shifted residence, passed away, or represent duplicate entries. Officials are urging affected voters to check their names immediately and submit Form-6 before the September 30 deadline with all required documents ready.