AAP govt lying over deletion of voters' names: BJP leader

The issue of mass deletion of voters' names was raised in the Assembly on Wednesday, with Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta charging the Aam Aadmi Party government of "hiding" a reply of the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Delhi.

Gupta alleged that the reply was hidden by the AAP government because it exposed the "lies" of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that over 24-lakh voters' names, especially of Bania, Purvanchali and Muslims, were deleted since the last Assembly elections.

The AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, had been hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over alleged mass deletion of voters' names in Delhi in collusion with the Election Commission officials.

As per the data presented by Gupta in the House, 11,54,332 names were deleted and 18,44,711 names were added from 2015-2018. "Thus, 6,90,379 names were added during these four years. This figure exposed the lie and propaganda of the chief minister," Gutpa said at a press conference.

"The lie of Arvind Kejriwal about deletion of 24-lakh names from voters' list was exposed by his own minister of elections, Imran Hussain, in a reply to my question," the BJP leader said.

"The minister (Hussain) concealed from the House the important letter of the CEO, dated December 14, 2018, on the subject and did not submit a report on the resolution adopted by the Assembly within the stipulated period of three months which expired today," he alleged.

He said that the House on November 27, 2018, passed a resolution that a committee would examine the matter of deletion of votes and submit its report within three months.

As the information was "concealed" action should be taken for breach of privilege against Election Minister Imran Hussain under Rule 106 (2) and 66 of the House, Gupta said.

The BJP legislators accused Kejriwal of lying on the issue and staged a walkout.

However, Gupta said, the government did not submit the report because the reply of CEO did not "suit" their claims that 24-lakh voters' names were deleted in Delhi.

Gupta said Hussain, while giving his reply, told the House that the Election Commission did not maintain caste-based data of voters, which "demolished the charge" that most of the names deleted were those of Purvanchali, Bania and Muslims.