A public audit in Delhi’s Okhla constituency found that over 100 residents were wrongly removed from electoral rolls due to errors in classification. This matters because these citizens, some of whom have lived at the same address for decades, are now required to re-register to regain their voting rights.
What happened in Okhla
A public audit covering 258 households over seven days revealed that at least 100 voters in two polling booths were incorrectly classified as absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate.
These classifications, known as ASDD, were identified during the special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
Residents discovered these errors after their names went missing from the draft electoral roll.
Many of these individuals, including long-term residents, were surprised to find themselves listed as untraceable or permanently shifted despite having lived at the same address for decades.
More than 150 voters registered to present their cases during a public hearing held in the Batla House area.
The panel included Supreme Court advocates and transparency activists who heard testimonies from citizens who had been excluded from the draft list.
Why it matters for voters
The issue has caused significant frustration among residents who have consistently participated in elections for many years.
For those affected, the current system requires them to undergo a new enrolment process rather than simply correcting the existing records.
This situation creates a burden on citizens who have already provided documentation to booth-level officers.
The process of re-enrolment effectively treats long-standing voters as if they are brand new applicants, which many find confusing and unnecessary.
Those affected by these roll errors include:
- Long-term residents who have lived at the same address for over 50 years.
- Retired professionals who have previously participated in many elections.
- Citizens who previously submitted valid enumeration forms to booth-level officers.
- Individuals who possess government-issued identification documents like driving licences.
- Voters who were unaware of their status until they checked the draft electoral list.
How we got here
Okhla constituency experienced a high rate of deletions during the enumeration phase.
Out of more than 1.85 lakh voters in the draft roll, nearly 1.6 lakh names appeared in the ASDD list, while over 67,000 were placed on a notice list.
This constituency saw the second-highest rate of deletions in the draft roll published after the enumeration phase.
The scale of the ASDD list has led to widespread concern about the accuracy of the verification process used by election officials.
Civil society organisations held a public hearing to address these concerns after voters reported that they had not been contacted by officials.
Although the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office has been holding weekend camps to ensure no eligible voter is left out, many residents reported they were unaware of these sessions.
Some voters noted that they did not know who their booth-level officer was.
Others stated that their booth-level officers had not contacted them, despite the official objective of ensuring that no eligible voter should be left out of the process.
What happens next
To resolve these discrepancies, affected voters are being directed to submit Form 6 to their local booth-level officers or voter centres.
This form is typically used for new enrolments, but it is currently the primary path for those whose names were wrongly removed.
- Affected voters must submit Form 6 by October 30.
- Officials will process these applications for potential inclusion in the final roll.
- The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on December 4.
Field officers have been directed to re-verify ASDD entries through door-to-door visits.
However, voters are currently being advised to take personal action by collecting and submitting the necessary forms to ensure their names are restored.
Key facts at a glance
- More than 100 voters were wrongly classified as absent, shifted, or dead.
- The audit covered 258 households over a period of seven days.
- Okhla constituency saw the second-highest rate of deletions in the draft roll.
- Nearly 1.6 lakh names appeared in the ASDD list for the constituency.
- All Form 6 applications submitted by October 30 will be considered for the final roll.
Read the news report this explainer is based on: Delhi SIR: Public audit in two booths find over 100 voters wrongly marked absent, shifted, or dead.
Source: Ebenezer News Explainer Desk · Ebenezer News Explainer Desk. Published 18 Oct 2026, 05:16 pm.
