As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration in Delhi reaches its closing stages, officials have warned that a substantial portion of pending forms are linked to voters who have shifted or could not be found at their registered addresses, raising the prospect of large-scale removals from the city's electoral rolls.
Digitisation shortfall and district variation
According to the latest status report of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Delhi, released on Sunday evening, about 97.2 lakh forms have been digitised so far, while roughly 47.8 lakh forms remain pending. Officials stressed many of the outstanding forms relate to people who may have moved out or are otherwise untraceable.
Digitisation rates vary significantly across districts, with the lowest completion recorded in south east Delhi and relatively higher rates in outer areas. The CEO report listed district-level shares as follows:
| District | Digitisation rate (%) |
|---|---|
| South East Delhi | 55.94 |
| New Delhi | 60.68 |
| South | 61.05 |
| Central | 61.87 |
| Outer North | 75.66 |
| West | 73.17 |
| South West | 73.03 |
ASD category likely to rise when draft rolls appear
Officials said a large number of the pending entries were connected to voters who either shifted from their registered addresses or were not found despite multiple visits by booth-level officers (BLOs). These entries are expected to be placed in the Absent, Shifted or Dead/Duplicate (ASD) category when the draft electoral rolls are published on August 24.
"A large number of government employees live in these areas and are frequently transferred. Our BLOs have visited their addresses multiple times but could not find them. They will therefore be counted under the ASD category," an official of New Delhi district said, requesting anonymity.
In New Delhi district specifically, the official estimated that nearly 40% of voters may ultimately be removed from the rolls after verification. The possibility of such deletions has prompted concern among residents and resident welfare associations about the accuracy and traceability of submissions.
Field reports from booths
BLOs on the ground reported repeated attempts to verify addresses. In Okhla, a booth-level officer said about 1,500 enumeration forms had been distributed, with nearly 500 still pending. "We have visited the residences multiple times, in fact more than three times in several cases, but these voters were not found at their addresses," the officer said.
Residents also raised issues about the Election Commission's ECINET portal. According to reporting, some who submitted forms allege their submissions are showing errors on ECINET, complicating verification. The CEO's office has not issued a public response to those specific complaints in the status release cited.
What happens next: timelines and voter options
The SIR enumeration period is concluding ahead of the publication of draft rolls. Once the draft rolls are out on 24 August, entries classified as ASD will be displayed. Affected electors will have statutory avenues to challenge deletions or seek inclusion during the period allowed for claims and objections.
- Draft electoral rolls to be published on 24 August.
- Entries marked ASD may be deleted unless successfully contested.
- Voters should check the ECINET portal and follow prescribed procedures for claims, objections or corrections.
Election officials and BLOs will be involved in processing claims. Citizens who believe they have been wrongly classified or removed should note the deadlines and required documentation once the draft list is published.
With millions of forms processed and a substantial backlog remaining, the final composition of Delhi's electoral rolls for the coming year will depend on the outcome of verification drives and any subsequent challenges from voters. The CEO's published figures provide a snapshot of the verification stage but leave open the scale of formal deletions that could follow.
