Bhubaneswar, April 20: The Odisha Government’s Home (Elections) Department has ordered stringent verification of voter deletions after receiving widespread complaints that many genuine and living voters were wrongly removed from electoral rolls.
According to official communication, nearly 9.8 lakh names have been deleted by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) since the start of the elector mapping process. The unusually high number has raised alarm, especially as several complaints pointed to serious lapses, including cases where voters were found alive and instances where Booth Level Officers (BLOs) allegedly failed to conduct field verification before deleting names.
In response, authorities have directed that around 2 lakh Form-7 applications received after April 2, 2026, be kept on hold as per instructions from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha. The move aims to prevent further erroneous deletions until proper scrutiny is ensured.
As per fresh guidelines, deletion of deceased voters will only be permitted after thorough verification, with Form-7 submissions required from family members or close relatives. Authorities must also inform voters if their names are removed. Physical verification has been made mandatory in at least 50% of cases, and BLOs have been instructed to carry out ground-level checks.
The sharp spike from the usual 7 lakh annual deletions has prompted tighter monitoring and corrective action by the Election Department.
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