40% of Delhi voters to face citizenship test in roll revision exercise

THE upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Delhi's electoral roll will be a comprehensive exercise requiring millions of city residents to prove their citizenship and local residency to retain their right to vote.

- ASHISH SRIVASTAVA @ New Delhi

According to officials involved in the planning, the exercise will put nearly 68 lakh voters under scrutiny, effectively testing their eligibility to remain on the electoral rolls.

As reported by this newspaper on July 6, the Election Commission has notified March 2008 as the cut-off date for the revision, aligning Delhi's process with a similar and controversial effort already underway in Bihar.

Delhi had 1.06 crore registered voters in 2008. That has surged to 1.56 crore in the latest electoral roll published this January. Over the past 17 years, around 18 lakh voters have either died or migrated, officials say. Roughly an equal number has been added in successive revisions, bringing the net of new or altered entries close to 68 lakh. The figure represents over 40% of the current electors.