THE NATIONWIDE Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been a point of contention since its inception. Cases of bizarre voter deletion en masse are heard from different parts of the country. A similar case was reported in a polling booth in Chandni Chowk constituency of Delhi. The updated voter list as of August 31, 2026, on the Election Commission of India (ECI) website now shows only one voter in the polling booth, amounting to 728 deletions after the SIR verification. The number of voters in the area was reportedly even bigger before the 2025 Delhi elections.

Activist Anjali Bhardwaj shared the official documents from the Election Commission of India (ECI) dated January 1, 2025, covering polling areas of Shiv Mandir Bagichi Tejpal, J J Bela Estate, and Vijay Ghat near Yamuna while writing, “Delhi Deleted!” The document notes that the polling station had 909 registered voters. 

However, the electoral roll draft dated August 31, 2026, shows only one voter in the area. The latest data follows the SIR verification process in Delhi. Many voters who were removed from the list allege that despite filling the enumeration forms the Booth Level Officer (BLO) is asking for additional documents for the proof of permanent residency.

See Also: Bharat Ratna Awardee Prof. C.N.R Rao’s Name Flagged for 'Self-Mismatch' in Karnataka's Ongoing SIR Verification

Only One Enumeration Form Collected: Electoral Office

Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) uploaded the minutes of the meeting held on August 11, 2026. The document states that 729 electors were present in the polling area before SIR began. During the house-to-house enumeration exercise, only one enumeration form was collected. Out of the remaining voters, 632 were categorized as “shifted,” 42 as “dead,” 10 as “duplicate,” 1 as “absent,” and 43 were listed under “others.” The last category includes cases of people who allegedly refused to sign the enumeration form or where dwellings had been demolished. The minutes were signed by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) and a Booth Level Agent (BLA) of the Bharatiya Janata Party. 

However, this contradicts the claims from the residents. The near total deletion, as locals claim they still live in the same area have drawn concern, especially since it includes the cluster of slums at Bella Estate along the Yamuna.

Residents Allege They Submitted SIR Forms to BLO

The voters of the area have rejected the claims that suggest that they no longer live in the area. Kamal Lal, a long-time resident of the region, told The Wire that their slums were demolished in 2023 but several families continued living there in makeshift shelters. Other residents echoed his claims and added that they voted in both the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections after the demolition of their dwellings.

Several residents further told The Wire that they submitted enumeration forms during the SIR exercise and received signed acknowledgement from the BLO. This stands in contrast to the official minutes of the meeting, which claim that only one form was collected. Despite submitting the form, the residents claim that the electoral roll draft still left out their names from the list. Residents claim that the officer is now demanding electricity or water bills, or proof of land ownership to have their names restored.

Activist Anjali Bhardwaj raised this concern on X, stating that the demand to prove a permanent ownership of the land is “completely absurd.” She said, “The ECI manual recognises the right of even homeless people to be registered as voters. [Delhi Chief Electoral Officer] must immediately address this mass disenfranchisement.”

The election officials maintain that the physical changes in the area has led to the relocation of residents and large-scale deletions. However, the locals’ and activists’ claims present a different picture with several saying they still consider the old Delhi area their home.

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