What is the story about?
Polling officials have said that the low response by Delhi residents seeking inclusion of their names in the draft electoral roll amid the ongoing Special
Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise is due to the floating population in the national capital. The observation by polling officials comes as only 3.12 lakh Form 6 applications have been received so far after the polling body published that more than 47.5 lakh names were missing from Delhi's draft electoral roll. According to data shared by the Delhi electoral office, 2,12,400 Form 6 applications were received up to August 30, while another 99,439 were submitted between August 31 and September 22, taking the total number of applications to 3,11,839, against 47.56 lakh electors left out of the draft roll.
What is Form 6?
Form 6 is used by an eligible citizen to apply for inclusion of their name in the electoral roll, including by those whose names do not figure in the draft roll and those seeking registration as voters for the first time.
A senior poll official said one of the factors being examined is Delhi's "highly floating population", with people frequently shifting between the capital and their native places or other parts of the country.
"There is a lot of movement in Delhi. People keep shifting. Some may have already got their vote registered at the new place, while others may have left Delhi altogether," he said, adding that the reasons behind the low number of applications could be influence by various factors.
The official also pointed to another possible factor -- people who had registrations in both Delhi and their ancestral towns or villages may have chosen to retain the registration at their native place after the Delhi entry was deleted.
"Many migrant workers keep their voter registration at their original permanent residence or native village. Their land revenue, vehicle, land records and property documents are linked there, so they may prefer to retain their registration at that place," he said.
The official said stricter rules against holding multiple voter registrations could also have contributed to this trend.
Polling Body Promoting Public Awareness
Poll officials, however, said the low number of Form 6 applications is being analysed and that greater public awareness is being promoted through information and outreach campaigns.
The Delhi electoral office is running advertisements in newspapers and regularly using social media platforms to inform voters about the claims and objections process and the procedure for filing Form 6, officials said.
They further said the number of applications would also include first-time voters who had attained the qualifying age and were eligible for registration.
Special Outreach Programs Being Organised
Special outreach camps are also being organised for sections that may face greater difficulties in accessing the electoral process, including homeless people, transgender persons and sex workers.
According to the office of the Delhi chief electoral officer, special camps will be held on September 23 and 24 from 5 pm to 9 pm at night shelters and other identified locations across the capital's 13 districts.
BLOs Being Deployed At Various Locations
Booth-level officers (BLOs) will be deployed at the designated locations, while separate outreach for transgender persons and sex workers will be undertaken with the help of NGOs working with these communities.
"Several homeless people don't have fixed addresses, family records or other documents ordinarily used to establish their identity and residence," a BLO said, explaining some of the difficulties faced during verification.
The CEO office has maintained that any person who qualifies as an "ordinary resident" and is otherwise eligible would be included in the final electoral roll.
What Delhi's Draft Electoral Roll Shows on Voter Data
The draft electoral roll published on August 31 contains over 97.53 lakh electors, compared with 1.55 crore electors on the rolls for the 2025 Delhi Assembly polls.
Those left out of the draft roll can submit claims for inclusion through Form 6 along with supporting documents.
The claims and objections process is currently underway, with September 30 being the deadline for filing claims.
General special camps are also being held at polling station locations to allow voters to check the draft roll, submit forms, and seek help with applications through the Election Commission's voter services platforms.
With inputs from PTI
