Delhi BJP chief Harsh Malhotra slams Kejriwal over SIR electoral roll drop
Synopsis
Nearly 47 lakh names vanished from Delhi's draft electoral roll after the ECI's SIR exercise — and the BJP is using that number to go on the offensive. Delhi BJP chief Harsh Malhotra is framing Kejriwal's objections as proof of duplicate voter registrations benefiting AAP, a charge that, if it sticks, could reframe the controversy from a voter-exclusion scandal into an electoral-fraud story.
Key Takeaways
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra on 31 August attacked Arvind Kejriwal for criticising the Election Commission of India over the SIR-revised electoral roll.
The draft electoral roll shows nearly 47 lakh fewer registered voters in Delhi following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Malhotra alleged that many AAP supporters had been registered at two or three places and were removed as duplicates — a claim NationPress could not independently verify.
The SIR process ran for nearly four months ; Malhotra said AAP raised no objection during that period.
Eligible voters whose names are missing can re-apply after 1 September with valid proof of Delhi residency.
Malhotra predicted AAP will lose its national-party status after 2027 state elections.
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra on Monday, 31 August sharply criticised Arvind Kejriwal for questioning the Election Commission of India (ECI) over a draft electoral roll that shows nearly 47 lakh fewer registered voters in the capital following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Malhotra called the former Delhi chief minister's response a textbook example of what he termed 'anarchic politics.'
BJP's Core Charge Against Kejriwal
Malhotra, speaking to reporters in New Delhi, said Kejriwal — who also serves as national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — 'specialises in spreading confusion and making false statements.' He argued that the AAP leadership stayed silent throughout the nearly four-month SIR process and only raised objections after the draft roll was published.
'BLA representatives of all political parties in Delhi were associated with the SIR exercise at the booth level. Despite the lengthy process, AAP never raised any objection,' Malhotra said.
How the SIR Process Worked
According to Malhotra, the ECI conducted the SIR exercise in Delhi through a 'completely transparent process,' giving voters sufficient time to submit forms either through their Booth Level Officer (BLO) or directly online. He stressed that every eligible voter who submitted the required form and documents has been included in the updated roll.
The stated objective of the SIR, he explained, is to ensure that each adult citizen is registered as a voter at only one location across the country — effectively weeding out duplicate entries.
BJP's Explanation for the 47-Lakh Drop
Malhotra offered a pointed explanation for the sharp fall in registered names. He alleged that 'many of Kejriwal's supporters who were registered as voters at two or three places have been removed from the electoral roll issued after the SIR.' The BJP chief did not provide data to substantiate the claim, and NationPress could not independently verify the assertion.
He also told Kejriwal that if he believes any genuine and eligible voter has been excluded despite submitting the form, he should 'present such cases before the Election Commission' rather than making broad public allegations.
Remedy Available After 1 September
Malhotra clarified that any eligible Delhi voter whose name is missing from the draft electoral roll can apply afresh for voter registration after 1 September by furnishing proof of being a valid voter in the capital. This avenue, he said, makes Kejriwal's alarm 'premature and politically motivated.'
AAP's Future and BJP's Political Jab
The Delhi BJP chief closed his remarks with a broader political barb, warning that Kejriwal 'would do better to focus on saving his political existence.' Malhotra predicted that after losing Punjab and other state elections in 2027, the AAP is 'set to lose its status as a national party.' The remark signals that the BJP intends to keep electoral-roll scrutiny at the centre of its anti-AAP narrative heading into the next cycle of state polls.
The ECI is yet to respond publicly to Kejriwal's criticism, and the final electoral roll is expected to be published after the objection window closes post-1 September.
Point of View
It turns a potential ECI accountability moment into a charge of voter-list manipulation by AAP. But Malhotra offered no data to support the duplicate-registration claim, and the ECI has not publicly backed that characterisation either. The real question — how many of those 47 lakh were legitimate Delhi voters who simply missed the BLO window — remains unanswered. Until the ECI publishes a breakdown, both sides are filling an information vacuum with political narrative.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did nearly 47 lakh names disappear from Delhi's electoral roll?
The Election Commission of India conducted a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise to ensure each citizen is registered as a voter at only one location nationwide. According to Delhi BJP chief Harsh Malhotra, many of the removed names were duplicate entries. The ECI has not issued a detailed public breakdown of the removals.
What is the SIR process and how was it conducted in Delhi?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an ECI exercise to clean up voter rolls by removing duplicates and adding eligible new voters. In Delhi, it ran for nearly four months; voters could submit forms through their Booth Level Officer or online, and representatives of all political parties — including AAP — were involved at the booth level.
What is Arvind Kejriwal's objection to the revised electoral roll?
Kejriwal has publicly criticised the ECI over the sharp drop of nearly 47 lakh names in Delhi's draft electoral roll after the SIR process. The BJP characterises his objection as politically motivated, noting that AAP raised no concerns during the four-month revision exercise.
Can voters whose names are missing from the draft roll get re-registered?
Yes. Any eligible Delhi voter who finds their name absent from the draft electoral roll can apply afresh for voter registration after 1 September by providing proof of being a valid voter in Delhi.
What did the BJP say about AAP's future as a national party?
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra predicted that after losing Punjab and other state elections in 2027, the AAP is set to lose its status as a national party — a jab aimed at Kejriwal's broader political standing beyond Delhi.
