The election officer of the New Delhi district has responded to the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's allegations of manipulation of voter lists by the BJP. "Submission of applications for addition and deletion of electors in the electoral roll does not automatically result in the addition or deletion of names," the district election officer said.
The AAP has been accusing the BJP of transferring votes from across the country to the New Delhi assembly constituency using the addresses of MPs and ministers who live in the New Delhi constituency. The BJP has rejected all the allegations.
Earlier in the day, a delegation of AAP leaders led by national convener Arvind Kejriwal met the Election Commission officials. "We told the Election Commission how in the New Delhi assembly constituency, each BJP MP has given applications for 30 to 40 names to be included in the voter roll," Mr Kejriwal told media after meeting the poll panel officials.
The election officer, in a post on X, asserted that each application "under Form 6 (for addition) and Form 7 (for deletion) is carefully scrutinized and disposed of in strict compliance with the norms prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI)".
The district election officer rejected the claims by the AAP regarding the distribution of items, such as bed sheets, shoes, spectacles and jackets, by the BJP candidates citing "no credible evidence".
Mr Kejriwal had claimed that some BJP candidates were allegedly distributing bedsheets, shoes, jackets and money in full public view in their constituency.
"No credible evidence, such as pictorial proof or witness testimony, has been provided to substantiate these claims," the officer said.
The Model Code of Conduct - a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission for candidates and political parties for free and fair elections - was implemented in the national on January 7, the day the poll schedule was announced.
The officer said that the police and Flying Squad Team of the election machinery are "actively monitoring the situation 24/7".
Delhi will vote on February 5 and the results will be declared on February 8.
