An investigative report by Newslaundry has revealed significant deletions and dubious additions to voter rolls in three Lok Sabha constituencies won by the BJP, sparking concerns about the integrity of India’s electoral process ahead of the upcoming elections.
Key Findings of the Investigation
Newslaundry’s in-depth probe spanned 4,000 houses and 5,000 booths across Farrukhabad, Meerut, and Chandni Chowk. The investigation revealed voter roll manipulations, particularly in areas inhabited by communities perceived to be less favorable to the BJP.
In Farrukhabad:
- 32,000 voters were struck off the rolls.
- BJP’s Mukesh Rajput won by a narrow margin of 2,768 votes.
- Deletion rates were disproportionately high in localities populated by Yadav, Muslim, Shakya, and Jatav voters. Upper caste areas saw significantly fewer deletions.
In Meerut:
- BJP’s Arun Govil defeated SP’s Sunita Verma by 10,585 votes.
- Two booths reported 27% of voters as bogus.
- More than 100,000 new voters were added in the constituency during the electoral roll revision.
In Chandni Chowk:
- BJP’s Praveen Khandelwal secured victory by over 90,000 votes.
- Deletion rates in Muslim and backward-class areas were three times higher than in Model Town, which is dominated by Punjabi and upper caste voters.
- A booth in the Congress candidate’s neighborhood witnessed one of the highest deletion rates.
Electoral Roll Manipulation
Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi acknowledged that while the potential for electoral roll manipulation exists, the onus lies with political parties to scrutinize the lists. However, experts argue this absolves the Election Commission (EC) of its primary responsibility to ensure fair electoral practices.
Ashok Lavasa, former Election Commissioner, emphasized that deletions should only occur after thorough inquiry to avoid disenfranchising voters. In reality, bulk deletions appear to have been conducted without adequate verification.
Congress MP Sasikant Senthil, who heads the party’s national war room, criticized the EC’s stance, stating, “It is the duty of the senior officer in charge to conduct due inquiry. Bulk deletions without house visits violate the electoral process.”
Booth-Level Presence of Political Parties
The investigation highlighted glaring disparities in booth-level representation:
- Chandni Chowk: Out of 129 booths, BJP had agents at 89; AAP and Congress had none.
- Meerut: Out of 2,758 booths, BJP had 1,271 agents; SP, Congress, and BSP had none.
- Farrukhabad (Aliganj Assembly): SP had agents at all 395 booths; BJP at 360; BSP at 45; Congress at just 35.
Implications and Concerns
The selective deletion of voters threatens electoral integrity, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. Analysts warn this trend could undermine democracy and tilt results in closely contested constituencies.
This news report is curated with insights from multiple reliable news sources.
