EC rolls out e-verification system to prevent misuse of voter name deletion

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) has introduced an e-verification system aimed at preventing misuse of the process for deleting names from electoral rolls. Under the new feature, individuals filing objections to the inclusion of names or seeking deletions must verify the request using a one-time password (OTP) sent to their registered mobile number.

“There could be cases where a person seeking removal of a name gives someone else’s name or phone number while filing an objection online. This added feature will prevent such misuse,” an EC official said.

The mechanism was implemented last week, with officials clarifying that it was not introduced in response to recent controversies in Karnataka’s Aland assembly constituency. The EC has reiterated that submitting Form 7 online for deletion does not automatically remove an entry from the electoral roll, as each application undergoes verification.

In Aland, the EC received 6,018 online Form 7 applications seeking deletions. Upon scrutiny, only 24 were found genuine while 5,994 were rejected as incorrect. The poll body confirmed that only the valid requests were accepted.

The matter sparked political debate, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi linking the EC’s action to allegations he had raised. In a post on X, he said the commission had put a “lock” on “vote theft” only after his intervention. “Gyanesh ji, we caught the theft and only then did you remember to put a lock – now we’ll catch the thieves too,” he wrote, addressing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Gandhi also questioned when the EC chief would share evidence with the Karnataka CID regarding the Aland deletions.

The EC maintains that the e-verification measure will bolster transparency and safeguard the integrity of the voter registration process ahead of future polls.