AAP accuses EC of ‘inaction’ over voter deletions

 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday accused the Election Commission (EC) of “failing to act on complaints” of alleged irregularities in the voter list of the Delhi Assembly election held earlier this year.

Mr. Bharadwaj cited an RTI response received  on September 9, which stated that “no action is pending” on complaints filed earlier by then Chief Minister Atishi and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

The reply, he said, also mentioned there was “no information available” on whether an FIR had been filed, whether the matter was forwarded to another department, or why no action was taken on grounds of lack of public interest.

The EC, however, countered the charge on X, saying it had already issued a “detailed reply of 76 pages consisting of seven annexures, including reports of election officers, on 13.01.2025 to Ms. Atishi, the then CM of Delhi”.

‘Murder of democracy’

Mr. Bharadwaj also alleged large-scale voter deletions, pointing to the New Delhi constituency, where “42,000 names were removed from the rolls in late 2024, followed by another 6,100”. “For the past 11 years, a systematic conspiracy of vote theft has been murdering democracy,” he said.

In its defence, the EC said all steps taken by the election machinery were in line with the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and EC guidelines.

“Allegations of non-compliance, inaction, or lack of transparency are factually incorrect and devoid of merit,” it said.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva dismissed AAP’s charges, saying the party has developed a “phobia” since the special intensive revision of electoral rolls began.

“If you believed they were your voters, you should have ensured their names were on the rolls. Instead of working, you are now crying foul,” he said, challenging AAP to file an affidavit-backed complaint with the poll body.