BJP-led Centre trying to manipulate electoral rolls to win Delhi poll: Atishi

Chief Minister Atishi on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Centre of “forcing” officials to remove names of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters from the electoral rolls to win the Delhi Assembly election due in February next year.

The BJP junked the charge, saying Delhi’s ruling party, like its other INDIA bloc partners, is resorting to such rhetoric to deflect people’s attention from its “impending defeat” in the upcoming election.

The CM also wrote to Delhi Chief Secretary Dharmendra, seeking a probe into the issue by a panel comprising retired officers or former judges of the High Court or Supreme Court.

“If any officer is found guilty of vitiating the free and fair election [process], the strongest possible action must be taken against him,” she said in her letter to the Chief Secretary.

The CM also cited the name of a District Magistrate, alleging that he instructed booth-level officers (BLOs) and assistant electoral roll officers (AEROs) to delete names of around 20,000 voters from the rolls in every constituency falling under his jurisdiction.

Earlier addressing reporters, Ms. Atishi said the BJP is resorting to these tactics due to the fear of defeat in the election. She urged all BLOs and AEROs to record on their phones any verbal direction being issued to delete voters.

Ms. Atishi alleged that the BJP-led Centre hatched a “major conspiracy” by transferring 29 Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) andAdditional District Magistrates (ADMs) on October 28.

“They were transferred on October 28, and afterwards, officials were ordered to delete votes on a large scale,” the Chief Minister alleged, adding that the amended GNCTD Act allows the Centre to shuffle Delhi governmment officials through the Lieutenant-Governor.

Reacting to the accusations, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said most members of the INDIA bloc are demoralised by their “continuous electoral defeats”.

‘AAP staring at defeat’

“So far, we have seen parties like the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (SP), and the RJD questioning the Election Commission’s impartiality and the reliability of electoral voting machines (EVMs) after facing electoral losses. Today, AAP has begun indulging in a similar rhetoric, which is regrettable,” he said. 

 Sachdeva said Ms. Atishi’s remarks “reveal her sense of impending defeat”. “AAP’s internal survey has revealed that its defeat is inevitable,” he said, adding that most Opposition parties are demoralised by their “electoral defeats”.

Published - November 27, 2024 01:01 am IST