Election Commission defends Delhi draft roll, cites notices and manpower boost

In response to the Supreme Court hearing, the Election Commission of India defended the draft roll for Delhi. The commission explained that each notice sent to voters includes a specific reason, and that the removal of names is not arbitrary.

According to the commission, about 30 lakh notices have been dispatched, and the organization has mobilised 14,000 Booth Level Officers along with 1,200 Electoral Registration Officers to verify and update the records. The commission also highlighted that a press release had been issued, detailing the procedural steps taken to manage the pending cases.

Justice Bhagwati asked the commission to clarify any logical inconsistencies and to ensure that the categorisation of notices does not unfairly target particular groups. The court set a deadline of October 29 for the commission to complete its response, with the possibility of an extension if necessary.