Voter Name Deletion: Process, Legal Provisions, and Online Gaps

Voter Name Deletion Process Latest News

• Recently, the Leader of Opposition in Loka Sabha had alleged that 6,018 voters’ names were attempted to be deleted from Karnataka’s Aland constituency rolls in 2023 through online forms filed without locals’ knowledge. 
• He said the state CID sent 18 letters in 18 months to the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking details, but the ECI has not provided the information so far.

Legal Provisions for Voter Deletion

• Under Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) can correct or delete names from electoral rolls, either on their own or upon application. 
• Before deletion, they must conduct an inquiry, give the voter a chance to respond, and then issue an order. 
• Names can be removed if the person has died, shifted residence, or is ineligible — such as being under 18 or not a citizen.

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Applying for Voter Deletion

• Under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, electors can seek deletions through Form 7, used to object to inclusion or request removal of names. 
• The form may be filed for one’s own name or another elector in the same constituency. 
• It can be downloaded from the Election Commission’s voter portal (voters.eci.gov.in), submitted to the Booth Level Officer (BLO), or filed online via the ECINet app.

Filing Form 7 Online for Voter Deletion

• To file Form 7 online, applicants must first create an account and link their phone number to their EPIC number on the voter portal or app. 
• Only those registered in the same constituency can submit a Form 7 seeking deletion of a name from a particular constituency. 
• The form requires the applicant’s details — name, EPIC number, phone number — along with the name, EPIC (if available), and address of the person being objected to. 
• Applicants must choose one of five reasons: death, underage, permanently shifted, already enrolled, or not an Indian citizen. 
• No proof is required, but applicants must sign a declaration affirming the truth of their claim. 
• The completed form can be submitted online or printed for offline submission to the Booth Level Officer (BLO).

Processing of Voter Deletion Forms

• Since 2018, the Election Commission has used ERONet, a centralised portal for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), replacing state-level systems. 
• In 2024, it was upgraded to ECINet, which integrates about 40 of its existing apps and portals for voters and officers.
  • Voters who log on to the voters’ portal or officers who access ERONet are all redirected to the new ECINet portal.
• Applications filed online or offline are routed to the ERO or Assistant ERO of the concerned area. 
• They must issue a notice to the elector, allow seven days for response, hold a hearing, and then pass an order. 
• Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are tasked with conducting field visits to verify the claims before a final decision is made.

Gaps in the Online Voter Deletion System

• The voter deletion system has loopholes as no proof is required while filing Form 7, and applicants’ EPIC and phone numbers are not verified. 
• This allows misuse, such as linking another person’s EPIC to a different phone number, as seen in Karnataka’s Aland constituency. 
• The Election Commission admitted this vulnerability but noted that deletion attempts were stopped during ERO inquiries. 
• Officials maintain that safeguards exist under the Representation of the People Act and Registration of Electors Rules, since deletions require a detailed inquiry by the ERO and BLO before approval.

Source: IE | LM