Aland voter deletion: How names can be removed from rolls, Pg 20.

Key Highlights:

• Rahul Gandhi alleged that 6,018 voters' names were attempted to be deleted from Karnataka's Aland constituency electoral rolls in 2023.
• Deletion forms were allegedly filled online without the knowledge of the voters.
• The Karnataka CID has sent 18 letters to the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking information on the matter.
• According to the Representation of the People (RP) Act, 1950, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) can modify electoral rolls after conducting inquiries.
• Form 7 is used to raise objections for proposed deletions from the electoral roll.

Detailed Insights:

• Section 22 of the RP Act, 1950 empowers EROs to make corrections or deletions to the electoral roll, either independently or upon receiving applications.
• An elector's name can be deleted if the person is deceased, no longer a resident of the constituency, or ineligible due to citizenship or age.
• Form 7 can be filed online via the ECI's voter portal or the ECINet app, or submitted offline to the Booth Level Officer (BLO).
• The online Form 7 submission process requires an account linked to the EPIC number, but lacks verification of the applicant's details.
• The ECI's ERONet portal standardizes the form processing, but each form is processed by the concerned ERO, involving a notice to the elector, a hearing, and field verification by BLOs.
• Gaps in the online system allow for potential misuse, such as linking someone else's EPIC to a different phone number to file deletion requests.
• The ECI claims that safeguards exist through the RP Act and Registration of Electors Rules, requiring detailed inquiry before any deletion is carried out.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Electoral Roll: A list of persons eligible to vote in an election.
• Electoral Registration Officer (ERO): An officer responsible for preparing and maintaining the electoral roll for a constituency.
• Booth Level Officer (BLO): A local official who assists the ERO in updating and verifying voter information at the polling booth level.
• Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC): A photo identification card issued by the ECI to registered voters.