New Delhi: While announcing poll schedule for Delhi Assembly elections, CEC Rajiv Kumar refuted allegations related to electoral malpractice and said the Canards were being spread about wrongful additions or deletions in electoral rolls to target particular groups.
"I am coming to some serious issues... In 2024, some apprehensions and doubts were raised. It was said that there were wrongful additions and deletions in electoral rolls... this started recently after general elections is currently going on in Delhi. It was also said that certain groups are targeted and names of voters are removed... I will explain whether all this is possible or not..." Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said. before announcing the schedule for Delhi Assembly polls.
He said that stories on electoral roll are still going on and added that there are around 70 steps in it... electoral roll, election process, EVMs, polling stations, Form 17 (C), counting stations, where political parties and candidates are present there with us. “Whenever electoral rolls are formed, regular meetings are held, it cannot be done without Form 6, every part has the right to appoint a BLA. Whichever claims and objections are raised, they are shared with each political party at the same time; draft is put up on the website; no deletion is possible until there is Form 7 produced..." says CEC Rajiv Kumar.
He said there were certain kinds of concerns that were raised (by political parties) and it was said that wrongful addition and deletion were made in electoral rolls. “It was also said that certain groups are targeted and their names are deleted. Even after giving a reply about EVM - it was said that EVM can be manipulated,” he said.
Saying that the right to question is inherent in democracy, he said it's his duty to clear all doubts. “We have created new records of voting, women participation; we will soon have a new record of one billion-plus voters,” CEC Rajiv Kumar said.
"Another landmark is in the making. We are crossing 99 crore voters. So, we are going to be a nation of one billion voters very soon. Number of women voters is going to be more than 48 crores, which is a very strong indicator and a sense of empowerment for the women of the country," says Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
