Full Breakdown
Rahul Gandhi Raises Allegations of Voter Exclusion in Delhi’s Bela Estate
By Drooid · · How we work
Data & Statistics
- The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) draft roll for the Bela Estate cluster shows a near-total removal of registered voters.
- One source reports that 727 of 728 names were struck off; another cites 728 of 729 names placed on the “Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate” (ASDD) list; a third source notes 727 of 728 names removed.
- Residents have submitted Form 6 applications for inclusion; one report says 496 of the affected electors have done so, while another mentions about 550 people still living in the makeshift settlement.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) replied that the matter had been addressed by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and that the deadline for filing claims and objections in the National Capital Territory of Delhi has been extended. The commission reiterated its commitment to transparent and inclusive polling and explained that, under Section 20(7) of the Representation of the People Act 1970, voters whose dwellings were demolished were re-classified as “ordinary residents” and placed on the ASDD list.
- Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Kumar’s office issued a release stating that electors receiving notices for “no mapping” or “logical discrepancies” will not need to visit assigned centres; Booth Level Officers will collect required documents and upload them to the ECINet platform for eligibility decisions.
- The release also noted that hearings on objections will be held only in exceptional cases, preferably online, and that all notices must be disposed of by the end of the month.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Sources differ on the exact number of voters excluded: NDTV cites 727 of 728, The Hindu cites 728 of 729, and IndiaTimes cites 727 of 728.
- No independent audit of the SIR process for Bela Estate has been reported, leaving the precise criteria for re-classification unclear.
- The extent to which Form 6 applications have been processed remains unspecified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Today, I went to their jhuggi and heard directly from them what the Election Commission has done to them,” — Mr. Gandhi
- “In 2023, their homes were demolished - but they didn't go anywhere, they're still right here,” — Congress' Rahul
- “Gyanesh Kumar will go. But the system that made him do this will also have to answer,” — Congress' Rahul