A political controversy has emerged in Jaipur over allegations of mass deletions from electoral rolls, with claims that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeted Muslim voters in two key assembly constituencies—Adarsh Nagar and Hawa Mahal. These allegations have raised significant concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral roll revision process ahead of Rajasthan’s upcoming municipal elections.
In Adarsh Nagar, Shehnawaz, a Congress sports cell office-bearer and former municipal councillor candidate, found that objections had been filed for the deletion of 70 to 80 members of his extended family from the voter list. “My Booth Level Officer, Aman Khoda, informed me that objections had been filed against the names of my entire family,” Shehnawaz stated. “None of us applied for deletion. Not a single person.”
Shehnawaz reported that on the final day for corrections and deletions—January 15—hundreds of objection forms, ranging from 300 to 400 per booth, were submitted in Muslim-majority wards. He alleged that these objection forms bore the signatures of BJP Booth Level Agents (BLAs). However, the agents named—Naimuddin, Saleem, and Rashid—later claimed they had not signed the documents, raising allegations of forgery.
Documents obtained by Maktoob from BLA Naimuddin indicated he did not sign multiple Form 7 applications, which are utilized to request deletions from the electoral roll. One such Form 7 prominently featured Ravi Nayyar, the BJP candidate from Adarsh Nagar in the last assembly elections, seeking the deletion of voters including Shahida, Rehana, and Shakir. In a written statement, Naimuddin categorically denied signing or authorizing these applications, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the deletion requests.
Shehnawaz further alleged that Nayyar personally signed about 200 objection forms. The Booth Level Officers responsible for verifying in the affected booths included Aman Khoda and Ravi Sharma. “This is a targeted and well-planned effort,” Shehnawaz warned, emphasizing that ordinary residents, particularly daily wage workers, might be disenfranchised without their knowledge. Maktoob attempted to contact Ravi Nayyar for a response but did not receive a reply.
Congress MLA from Adarsh Nagar, Rafeeq Khan, corroborated Shehnawaz’s claims, asserting, “Yes, BJP people did this. I have solid proof. They tried to cut names from the assembly seat,” thus lending further support to allegations of targeted deletions backed by BLA statements and BLO records.
Similar allegations surfaced from Hawa Mahal, another Muslim-majority constituency where the BJP secured the 2023 assembly election by a narrow margin of just 974 votes. A video circulating on social media shows Booth Level Officer Kirti Kumar expressing distress over pressure from “senior election officials” to process objections against 470 voters—nearly 40 percent of his booth’s electorate. “I would rather kill myself than do this,” Kumar is heard stating in the video.
Kumar alleged that these objections specifically targeted Muslim voters and residents inclined toward the Congress party whose credentials he had already verified. Many of these objections were also filed on January 15, leaving voters little time to respond. Hawa Mahal is represented by BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya, known for controversial remarks and actions against Muslims.
Other Booth Level Officers, including Saraswati Meena, supported Kumar’s claims, stating that objections were predominantly filed against verified Muslim voters, while neighboring Hindu-majority booths experienced no such issues. Reports from Newslaundry indicated similar patterns of bulk objection filings in nearby booths, suggesting a coordinated effort.
Under Election Commission rules, a Booth Level Agent is allowed to submit no more than 10 objection forms per day. Nevertheless, Vishal Saini, a BJP BLA, admitted to filing objections against at least 200 voters over two days. Local BJP councillor Suresh Saini also confirmed he filed objections against 467 voters in Kirti Kumar’s booth. Coupled with allegations of forged signatures, these admissions raise serious concerns about the legality and procedural integrity of the objections.
The official process mandates that each objection must be physically verified by a Booth Level Officer. If a voter cannot be located, a formal notice must be issued, and only after those steps can an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) approve the deletion of a voter’s name. In both Adarsh Nagar and Hawa Mahal, BLOs asserted that the targeted voters were already verified and active residents.
This issue has escalated politically, with Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra labeling the alleged deletions a “conspiracy” to manipulate voter lists. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP-led state government of misusing administrative machinery to disenfranchise voters, particularly from minority communities.
As inquiries continue, serious questions linger regarding the credibility of Jaipur’s voter rolls and whether specific communities are being systematically targeted under the guise of administrative procedures.
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