'Unusual Spike in Voter Additions and Deletions', Arvind Kejriwal Raises Concerns Over New Delhi Constituency's Electoral Integrity Ahead of Delhi Elections 2025

The countdown to the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections is already stirring tensions in the political landscape, and Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, has raised an alarm regarding the electoral process in the New Delhi Assembly constituency. Kejriwal has written a letter to the District Electoral Officer (DEO) of New Delhi, expressing concerns about a significant and unusual spike in voter addition and deletion applications in the constituency, which he believes could undermine the integrity of the upcoming elections.

Arvind Kejriwal's Concerned Letter to District Electoral Officer

In his letter dated December 28, 2024, Kejriwal addressed the District Electoral Officer, highlighting what he described as a sharp rise in voter modification requests—both additions and deletions—in recent weeks. He suspects that these actions may be part of a "sinister plan" to manipulate the electoral rolls, a crucial aspect of any fair election process.

"Such activities undermine the very foundation of free and fair elections, which are expected to be unbiased and transparent," Kejriwal wrote in the letter. His concern was further deepened by the scale of the changes being requested, especially as they came after the revision process had already concluded.

Questions Over the Legitimacy of Voter Deletions

In the letter, Kejriwal specifically questioned the motives behind the large-scale deletion of voter names. He requested the DEO to share the details of individuals who have filed more than five deletion applications since October 29, 2024. This request aims to shed light on who is behind these actions and whether they are legitimate.

To ensure transparency, Kejriwal asked the DEO to provide EPIC details or copies of the Form 7 submitted by these individuals. "Who are these individuals who are so keen to delete voters' names on such a large scale?" Kejriwal asked. The letter also demanded a clear answer to the question of who might be orchestrating these deletions and what their intentions could be.

A Call for Thorough Verification

As the battle for the New Delhi constituency heats up, especially with Delhi elections 2025 on the horizon, Kejriwal has urged the DEO to halt any further deletions unless they are for valid reasons—such as migration or death. Additionally, Kejriwal called for any deletion of voter names to be preceded by a thorough verification process conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), with representatives from all political parties present to ensure fairness.

"No deletion should take place without rigorous on-ground verification," Kejriwal emphasised, further stressing the importance of transparency in safeguarding the electoral process.

Kejriwal Accuses BJP of Manipulating Voter Rolls

In a bold accusation, Kejriwal claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been involved in what he referred to as "Operation Lotus" in the New Delhi constituency. He accused the BJP of manipulating the voter rolls by filing applications for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes between December 15 and December 28, 2024.

According to Kejriwal, this move was part of an attempt to alter the electoral outcome through dishonest means. "Why hold elections if you’re going to manipulate about 12% of the voters in the constituency?" he questioned. He also warned that the people of Delhi would not let the BJP succeed with such tactics, which he said had been used in previous elections in Haryana and Maharashtra.