ElectionCommission – Delhi Congress Questions Polling Booth Expansion Ahead of Voter Roll Revision

ElectionCommission – The Delhi Congress has raised concerns over the timing of changes to polling infrastructure, arguing that the process should follow the completion of voter verification rather than precede it.

The Delhi Congress has objected to the Election Commission’s recent decision to increase the number of polling booths shortly before the commencement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party believes that making such changes just days before the voter verification exercise could affect the transparency and credibility of the revision process. At the time of the statement, the Election Commission had not issued an official response to the allegations.

Congress Submits Memorandum to Election Officials

According to the party, a delegation met Joint Chief Electoral Officer Balram Meena and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Kumar. In the representation, the Congress requested the Election Commission to reconsider its decision to expand polling stations before the Special Intensive Revision begins.

The party urged the authorities to postpone any changes related to polling booth locations or numbers until the voter roll verification exercise is completed. It argued that updated and verified electoral data should form the basis for determining the actual requirement of polling stations across Assembly constituencies.

Questions Raised Over Timing of the Decision

Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav alleged that the decision to increase polling booths in several Assembly segments was taken only a few days before the revision exercise and questioned the reasons behind the timing. He also claimed that the move had been influenced by the ruling BJP, although no evidence was presented to support the allegation.

Yadav pointed out that the Election Commission had been preparing for the Special Intensive Revision for several months. According to him, if the voter verification process had already been under planning for nearly a year, there was no clear explanation for approving additional polling booths immediately before the exercise was scheduled to begin.

Demand to Complete Voter Verification First

The Congress leader maintained that polling infrastructure should be finalized only after authorities determine the verified number of eligible voters in every Assembly constituency. He argued that this sequence would make the process more transparent and ensure that decisions regarding polling stations are based on accurate electoral data.

Yadav also referred to an earlier exercise in which the Election Commission reportedly reduced the maximum number of voters assigned to a polling booth from 1,500 to 1,200, leading to the creation of additional polling stations. He questioned whether another increase in polling booths before completing the latest revision was necessary.

Party Seeks Greater Transparency

The Delhi Congress further argued that if the Election Commission already has a clear estimate of the number of polling stations required across constituencies, it raises questions about the purpose of conducting a detailed Special Intensive Revision at this stage. The party maintained that completing the voter verification process first would eliminate doubts and strengthen public confidence in the electoral system.

For now, the Election Commission has not publicly commented on the concerns raised by the Congress. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is scheduled to begin on June 30, and attention is expected to remain focused on how the revision process is carried out in the coming weeks.