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Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday broke silence on claims of voter name deletions from various constituencies and listed the steps taken when an electoral roll is being made.
While addressing a press conference to announce the schedule of the Delhi Assembly elections, Rajiv Kumar said that certain kinds of concerns were raised (by political parties) while noting that it has been alleged that wrongful additions and deletions were made in electoral rolls. It was also said that certain groups were targeted and their names deleted.
The remark comes amid Delhi Chief Minister Atishi alleging a 'voter scam' in the New Delhi constituency from where AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is contesting and questioned the role of the Election Commission (EC) in the matter.
To counter the claims, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) listed the steps taken by the EC while making electoral rolls.
“Whenever electoral is being made, regular meetings are held, additions are made through Form 6 and field verification,” said Rajiv Kumar.
— There are almost 70 steps.
— All the claims and objections which come up are shared with all the political parties.
— No deletion can be done without Form 7.
— Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are appointed.
— List of claims and objections is shared.
— Due process is followed rigorously in deletions or additions to voter lists, and there is no room for any manipulation.
— Political parties are involved at each and every stage of voter list preparation with full disclosure and opportunity to object.
Amid questions being raised by the opposition parties on the functioning of EVMs, CEC Rajiv Kumar said that EVMs are commissioned only seven to eight days before polling day, and candidates are kept informed through their agents at every step.
“There is no evidence of unreliability or any drawback in the EVM. There is no question of introducing a virus or bug in the EVM. There is no question of invalid votes in the EVM,” said Kumar.
The CEC once again reiterated that no rigging is possible.
"EVMs are foolproof devices for counting. Allegations of tampering are baseless. We are speaking now because we don't speak when elections are on," added Kumar.
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