Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirit Somaiya has written to Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam, alleging major contradictions in electoral data released during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Mumbai's voters' list. The letter, dated 16 August, was uploaded by Somaiya on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday and raises concerns about form distribution figures, untraceable voters, and inconsistencies in death-related deletions across constituencies.

The Core Discrepancy

At the heart of Somaiya's complaint is a statistical contradiction: state election officials reported a form distribution rate of over 99 per cent across Maharashtra. The Mumbai City Collectorate specifically logged 99.99 per cent distribution, while the Mumbai Suburban Collectorate reported 99.96 per cent.

Yet, data from the same Collectorates, District Election officials, and the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner's office simultaneously shows that 11.73 per cent of voters in Mumbai Suburban and 9.72 per cent in Mumbai City District remain untraceable. Somaiya questioned how near-complete distribution could be claimed when roughly 12 per cent of addresses or voters cannot be located.

Uneven Death-Related Deletions Across Constituencies

The letter also flags sharp disparities in electoral roll deletions attributed to death across constituencies. According to Somaiya's letter, deletion rates in areas comprising Mankhurd stood at 2.91 per cent, Anushakti Nagar at 2.6 per cent, Mahim at 7.72 per cent, Byculla at 6.71 per cent, and Shivadi at 6.26 per cent. The wide variance across geographically proximate constituencies has drawn scrutiny.

Scale of Uncollectable Data Statewide

The letter comes days after Chockalingam shared updated SIR metrics. Across Maharashtra, details for over 1.8 crore voters — approximately 18.46 per cent of the total electorate — remain categorised as 'uncollectable'. Mumbai alone accounts for a significant share, with nearly 30.8 lakh voters (roughly 29.6 per cent of the electorate across Mumbai City and Suburban districts) falling under this tag.

High proportions of uncollectable entries were noted in constituencies undergoing large-scale redevelopment or with high migrant populations, including Sion Koliwada, Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar, Worli, Malabar Hill, and Mumbadevi.

What the Chief Electoral Officer Said

Chief Electoral Officer Chockalingam explained that the 'uncollectable' classification applies primarily to electors under the ASDD categories — Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate. He noted that higher uncollectable rates in urban centres like Mumbai and neighbouring Thane are consistent with national trends for high-migration, high-mobility cities.

The CEO clarified that an 'uncollected' status during household enumeration does not permanently exclude a voter. Untraced entries will not appear on the initial draft electoral list, but electors and Booth Level Agents can submit the required forms to ensure eligible voters are updated or included in the final roll.

What Happens Next

Somaiya has urged the Chief Electoral Officer to initiate an immediate review and make necessary corrections. The SIR process, which determines the final shape of the voters' list ahead of future elections, makes the resolution of such discrepancies critical for electoral integrity in one of India's most populous and politically significant cities.