Governance · GS2.5, GS2.4 · 2026-10-19 · 3 min read · 2026-10-19-pm
Delhi SIR Public Audit Finds Over 100 Voters Wrongly Marked Absent or Shifted
A public audit in two polling booths of Delhi’s Okhla constituency found over 100 voters wrongly classified as absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This issue highlights challenges in electoral roll accuracy and transparency, important for fair democratic processes.
The Delhi SIR public audit revealed significant errors in voter classification, affecting electoral roll integrity and voter rights.
Why is this in the news?
On October 18, 2026, a public hearing in Delhi’s Okhla constituency revealed over 100 voters wrongly marked absent, shifted, or dead in the draft electoral roll after the SIR enumeration phase.
What did the Delhi SIR public audit find?
- Wrong voter classification. The audit found at least 100 voters wrongly classified as absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate in two polling booths covering 258 households.
- Affected voters’ complaints. Long-term residents, including a retired professor and others living at the same address for decades, were marked 'untraceable' or 'permanently shifted' despite submitting enumeration forms.
- Scale of deletions. Okhla constituency had over 1.85 lakh voters in the draft roll, with nearly 1.6 lakh names in the absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate (ASDD) list, making it the second highest in deletions.
Why does this matter for electoral integrity?
- Voter disenfranchisement risk. Wrongly marking voters as absent or shifted forces them to re-enroll using Form 6, risking loss of voting records and disenfranchisement.
- Transparency and accountability gaps. The public hearing exposed lack of communication from Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and election officials, with many voters unaware of special camps for corrections.
- Impact on democratic participation. Errors in electoral rolls undermine voter confidence and participation, affecting the legitimacy of elections.
What are the corrective measures and challenges?
- Special camps and re-verification. The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office has held weekend camps since September 20 to ensure no eligible voter is left out and directed re-verification of ASDD entries through door-to-door visits.
- Need for fresh enrolment. Affected voters currently have to apply afresh using Form 6, as their names were deleted or marked untraceable in the draft roll.
- Administrative gaps. Election officials and BLOs did not attend the public hearing, and many voters were unaware of correction processes, indicating gaps in outreach and accountability.
Key numbers
| Figure | What it measures | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1.85 lakh | Number of voters in Okhla constituency draft roll after SIR enumeration | |
| 1.6 lakh | Number of names placed in the absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate (ASDD) list in Okhla | |
| 100 | Voters wrongly classified as absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate found in two polling booths |
Back to basics: Electoral Roll Revision and Voter Registration
Electoral rolls are periodically revised to update voter information, remove ineligible names, and add new voters. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a process to verify and update the rolls comprehensively. Voters can challenge errors through public hearings and apply for corrections or fresh enrolment using prescribed forms like Form 6. Accuracy and transparency in this process are essential for protecting voter rights and ensuring credible elections.
What happens next?
- Improve voter outreach. Election authorities need to enhance communication with voters about correction camps and procedures to prevent disenfranchisement.
- Strengthen accountability. Booth Level Officers and election officials should be more responsive and present during public audits and hearings to address voter grievances promptly.
Practice: MCQ, Mains and revision
Prelims MCQ
Consider the following statements about the Delhi Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls: 1. The SIR process led to over 1.6 lakh names being placed in the absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate (ASDD) list in Okhla constituency. 2. Voters wrongly marked as absent or shifted must re-enroll using Form 7. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Answer and trap
Answer: (a). Statement 2 is incorrect because the form used for fresh enrolment by wrongly excluded voters is Form 6, not Form 7.
Mains question (15 marks)
Discuss the challenges and implications of errors in electoral rolls, with reference to the findings from the Delhi SIR public audit.
Discuss: Explain the issues caused by inaccuracies in electoral rolls and their impact on democratic processes, using the Delhi SIR audit as an example.
Intro: Electoral roll accuracy is vital for ensuring every eligible citizen can exercise their voting rights.
- Errors such as wrongful classification of voters as absent or shifted can disenfranchise voters and reduce trust in elections.
- The Delhi SIR audit revealed large-scale deletions and misclassifications affecting long-term residents, highlighting administrative lapses.
- Lack of communication and accountability from election officials exacerbates voter confusion and delays correction.
- Corrective measures like special camps and re-verification are steps forward but require better implementation and outreach.
Conclusion: Ensuring transparent and accurate electoral rolls is essential for the integrity and inclusiveness of democratic elections.
Quick revision
- What was the main finding of the Delhi SIR public audit?
- It found over 100 voters wrongly marked as absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate in two polling booths.
- How many voters were in the ASDD list in Okhla constituency after the SIR enumeration?
- Nearly 1.6 lakh names were in the ASDD list.
- What form must wrongly excluded voters use to re-enroll?
- They must use Form 6 for fresh enrolment.
Sources
- [1] The Hindu: Delhi SIR: Public audit in two booths finds over 100 voters wrongly marked absent, shifted, or dead · 2026-10-19 · newspaper