Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer has clarified that receiving a notice during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls does not mean that a voter’s name has already been deleted from the voter list. The clarification comes after notices were issued to several prominent figures, including former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.
The notices are being generated after information submitted through Enumeration Forms was used to prepare the draft voter list. According to the Delhi CEO’s office, some records contain discrepancies that require an explanation or correction. These include cases where a voter’s details could not be mapped to earlier SIR records, differences in names, or inconsistencies involving age and family information.
More than 31.6 lakh notices have so far been issued among the 97.5 lakh voters included in the draft SIR list, according to a Times of India report cited in the source material. More than half of the cases reportedly involve what are described as logical discrepancies, such as mismatches in names or inconsistencies in age and family details.
The Delhi CEO’s office has said that a voter receiving a notice will have an opportunity to submit a response and the required documents before the concerned Electoral Registration Officer, or ERO. If the information and documents are found to be correct, the record can be rectified and the voter’s name can remain on the electoral roll.
A name cannot be removed directly merely because a notice has been issued. If an ERO concludes that there are grounds for deletion, the officer must issue a speaking order explaining the reasons for the decision. The order is not the end of the process: the affected voter can appeal before the District Election Officer or District Magistrate, and can subsequently approach the Chief Electoral Officer if still dissatisfied.
The clarification follows notices to several senior public figures, including S. Jaishankar, Central Bureau of Investigation Director Praveen Sood and former Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi. Kejriwal and members of his family have also received notices. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s record was verified after an age-related discrepancy was identified, and her entry was considered valid for inclusion in the final list.
The CEO’s office has also outlined a route for eligible voters whose names do not appear in the draft list. They can participate in the claims and objections process and submit Form 6 along with the required documents to seek inclusion. Voters who have shifted their address within Delhi and did not receive an Enumeration Form at their previous address can apply for inclusion at their new address through the prescribed process.
The Delhi CEO has advised voters to check their records in the previous SIR list from 2002. Those who moved to Delhi from another state after 2002 have been advised to check and retain details from the previous SIR list of their state of origin. The notice process will therefore be followed by opportunities for clarification, correction, claims, objections and appeals before any eligible voter’s name can be removed through a reasoned order.
