New Delhi:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) today dismissed allegations of electronic voting machine (EVM) manipulation. Addressing a press conference today to announce the dates of the Delhi Assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that EVMs have repeatedly passed the test of judicial scrutiny and have earned the trust of the nation’s highest courts on 42 separate occasions.

The Delhi polls are set to be held on February 5 and the counting is scheduled for February 8. 

Mr Kumar said that EVMs are tamper-proof, rendering rigging and hacking impossible. He described allegations of tampering as “baseless” and stressed that the ECI has always prioritised transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

“EVMs are not hackable. Every claim of manipulation has been thoroughly investigated and debunked. This technology has consistently upheld the principles of free and fair elections,” Mr Kumar said. “On 42 different occasions, the judiciary has reaffirmed trust in EVMs. These machines represent years of technological evolution and are a matter of national pride.”

Mr Kumar also addressed concerns regarding alleged manipulation of voter lists, an issue that has become a major point of contention in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections. Political parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, have alleged discrepancies in voter rolls, claiming wrongful deletions and additions.

Responding to these allegations, Mr Kumar stressed that the Election Commission rigorously follows due process for any changes in voter lists.

“The preparation of electoral rolls is a transparent process involving political parties at every stage,” he said. “These allegations are baseless. Disclosure is our main pillar, and detailed guidelines and datasets are available on our website.”

Mr Kumar added that the ECI ensures full disclosure and provides opportunities for objections throughout the process. “All deletions and additions are done following the due process of law. There is no room for manipulation,” he said.

The AAP has accused the BJP of orchestrating deletions in constituencies where it has a strong voter base. AAP leader and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had claimed in December that the BJP sought to remove over 11,000 names from the voter list in the Shahdara Assembly segment. Mr Kejriwal also alleged that a similar “Operation Lotus” was underway in his own constituency, New Delhi. 

The BJP has denied these allegations, countering that AAP has been adding fake names to voter lists to inflate its support base. 

New Delhi:

BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri’s sexist remark against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi is the latest flashpoint between the two political parties. In an undated video, Mr Bidhuri can be seen making a controversial statement about Ms Gandhi while talking about his party’s poll promises ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled likely next month.

Mr Bidhuri is BJP’s pick to take on Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Atishi for the Kalkaji constituency. 

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate strongly criticised Mr Bidhuri, terming his remarks as “shameful” and accusing the BJP of harbouring an “anti-women” mindset. “Ramesh Bidhuri’s statement regarding Priyanka Gandhi is not only shameful but also shows his disgusting mentality towards women. But what else can be expected from a man who used foul language against his fellow MP in the House and did not receive any punishment? This is the real face of BJP,” Ms Shrinate said in a statement. 

BJP घोर महिला विरोधी है

रमेश बिधूड़ी का प्रियंका गांधी जी के संदर्भ में दिया बयान शर्मनाक ही नहीं उनकी औरतों के बारे में कुत्सित मानसिकता दिखाता है

लेकिन जिस आदमी ने सदन में अपने साथी सांसद को गंदी गालियां दी हों, और कोई सज़ा ना मिली हो उससे और क्या उम्मीद की जा सकती है?… pic.twitter.com/JRdC9bxzrw

— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) January 5, 2025

AAP MP Sanjay Singh also condemned Mr Bidhuri’s comments, sharing the video on X and questioning whether Delhi’s women could feel safe under BJP’s leadership. “This is BJP’s candidate. Listen to his language. This is BJP’s respect for women. Can Delhi’s women’s honour be safe in the hands of such leaders?” Mr Singh posted.

Following the backlash, Mr Bidhuri defended his comments and attacked the opposition for its “hypocrisy.” The BJP leader justified his remark by recounting a similar comment allegedly made by former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav against actor-turned-politician Hema Malini. 

“What I said, I compared it with what had been said earlier. We will reply in the language they use. Is Hema Malini not a woman? When two people make mistakes, both need to rectify. If Congress will rectify their mistake, the same will be done by us,” Mr Bidhuri claimed. 

He later took to his social media handle to express his “regret” over the remark.

“Some people are making statements on social media for political gain with a wrong perception based on a statement given by me in some context. My intention was not to insult anyone. But still, if anyone has been hurt then I express my regret,” he wrote on X. 

किसी संदर्भ में मेरे द्वारा दिये गये बयान पर कुछ लोग ग़लत धारणा से राजनैतिक लाभ के लिए सोशल मीडिया पर बयान दे रहे है। मेरा आशय किसी को अपमानित करने का नहीं था। परंतु फिर भी अगर किसी भी व्यक्ति को दुख हुआ है तो मैं खेद प्रकट करता हूँ।@JPNadda @Virend_Sachdeva @PandaJay @ANI…

— Ramesh Bidhuri (@rameshbidhuri) January 5, 2025

Mr Bidhuri was previously criticised for making Islamophobic slurs at then-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Kunwar Danish Ali (now in Congress) during a parliamentary session in 2023. Despite the outrage, Mr Bidhuri faced no significant disciplinary action from the BJP, leading opposition leaders to allege a tacit endorsement of his behaviour.

Congress leader Alka Lamba also weighed in on the Kalkaji controversy, stating, that the party will formally register an FIR against Mr Bidhuri. 

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Delhi today accused the AAP of “wasting” the last 10 years. PM Modi claimed that Delhi’s development is essential for India’s aspirations and only BJP can achieve that.  “AAPda is clear to the people of Delhi, so only ‘Modi, Modi’ resounds here. We won’t tolerate AAPda, we will bring change,” the Prime Minister said. 

The Prime Minister inaugurated the 13-km Delhi section of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, connecting Sahibabad in Uttar Pradesh to New Ashok Nagar in the national capital. This stretch is part of the larger 55-km Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor, designed to enhance regional connectivity.

PM Modi also rode the Namo Bharat train from Sahibabad station to New Ashok Nagar station.

“We are in the year 2025. Twenty-five years of the 21st century have passed. That means a quarter of a century has passed. During this time, probably two to three generations of youth in Delhi have grown up. Now the coming 25 years are very important for the future of India, and for the future of Delhi,” PM Modi said. 

In a swipe at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, PM Modi accused the former Delhi chief minister of spending ludicrous sums of money on the official residence of the Chief Minister of Delhi – which the BJP calls ‘Sheeshmahal’. Two days ago, PM Modi had claimed that he could have constructed a ‘Sheeshmahal’ for himself but chose instead to prioritise building homes for the people. 

Responding to AAP’s accusations that the BJP government at the Centre is impeding AAP’s work in the national capital, PM Modi today said, ” It is a false allegation that the Centre does not let them work, ‘Sheeshmahal’ is an example of their lies.” 

The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled for this year. Ahead of the polls, PM Modi accused the AAP leadership of pushing the national capital into one crisis after another and claimed their governance was defined by corruption and mismanagement.

“I want to appeal to the people of Delhi to give an opportunity to BJP for the bright future of Delhi, It is BJP which can develop Delhi. Now, we can only hear ‘AAPda nahi sahenge, badal ke rahenge’ in Delhi. Delhi wants development and the people of Delhi have trust in BJP,” PM Modi said.
 

New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to target AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for his allegedly extravagant expenditure on the official residence of the Chief Minister of Delhi. 

Mr Shah, addressing a public gathering, shared an anecdote: “Some children came to meet me at my home. I asked them, what has Arvind Kejriwal done for Delhi? One of the children said that he built a big ‘Sheeshmahal’ (glass palace) for himself. When he came into politics, he used to say he would not take a government car or bungalow. Today, he has built a ‘Sheeshmahal’ using Delhiites’ money. Kejriwal ji, you will have to give an account to the people of Delhi.”

This salvo follows PM Modi’s criticism of AAP during the inauguration of several development projects in Delhi. PM Modi labelled AAP as an “aapda” (disaster) that has plagued the national capital for the past decade. In a swipe at Mr Kejriwal, PM Modi claimed that he could have constructed a ‘Sheeshmahal’ for himself but chose instead to prioritise building homes for the people.

The BJP has consistently attacked Mr Kejriwal over allegations of exorbitant spending on his official residence when he was the Chief Minister. An inventory released by the Public Works Department (PWD) in October last year showed luxurious appliances and renovations at the bungalow.

Responding to these accusations, Mr Kejriwal dismissed PM Modi’s remarks yesterday as personal attacks and alleged that the BJP has failed Delhi over the past decade. Mr Kejriwal accused the BJP of lacking a chief ministerial face and substantive issues ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

“In 10 years, the BJP has not done a single significant thing in Delhi. They promised permanent housing by 2022 but have built only 4,700 houses in five years. Compare that to AAP’s work: 22,000 classrooms, three new universities, and countless developmental initiatives,” Mr Kejriwal said. 

The BJP today released its first list for the Delhi Assembly elections. Parvesh Verma has been fielded from the New Delhi constituency to take on Mr Kejriwal while Ramesh Bidhuri will contest Delhi Chief Minister Atishi for the Kalkaji constituency. 

New Delhi:

Amid protests led by women from Punjab outside his Delhi residence, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal launched a scathing attack on the Congress and BJP, accusing them of working in alliance to oppose his party.

“Congress should not worry about us,” Mr Kejriwal said. “Those women belong to their (Congress and BJP) party. They have not come from Punjab, the women in Punjab are with us. They have faith in AAP. Congress and BJP should officially announce that they are contesting elections together against AAP in Delhi.”

Dismissing the Congress, the former Delhi Chief Minister said, “Don’t take Congress seriously.” 

Mr Kejriwal claimed that AAP’s governance model has consistently delivered on promises, citing free water supply to over 12 lakh families in Delhi as a case in point. However, he alleged that issues arose in his absence, resulting in exorbitant water bills for many residents. “I want to publicly and officially announce that those who think their bills are wrong, they need not pay. Wait for the elections; AAP will form the government, and we will waive off those wrong bills,” he promised.

Women from Punjab accused the AAP-led Punjab government of not fulfilling its pre-election promise to provide Rs 1,000 per month to every woman in the state. The protesters allege that AAP has prepared similar welfare schemes for women in Delhi ahead of assembly elections in the national capital scheduled this year. AAP’s Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana in Delhi proposes a Rs 2,100 monthly stipend for women over 18.

Congress which has struggled to regain political ground in Delhi, capitalised on the protests to highlight AAP’s alleged failures. “Just like AAP deceived the women of Punjab, they are now planning to deceive the women of Delhi,” Congress said in a statement, urging Delhi voters not to fall for “false promises,” claiming that the party’s 15 years of governance had transformed the capital’s “image, direction, and condition.”

The controversy surrounding AAP’s welfare schemes was intensified after Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena ordered an inquiry into allegations of unauthorised data collection for the Mahila Samman Yojana. The scheme, meant to register women for benefits, has been clouded by claims that private individuals were gathering personal details without official sanction.

The BJP today announced its first list of candidates for the 2025 Delhi assembly elections. Pervesh Verma has been fielded against Mr Kejriwal from in the New Delhi constituency while Ramesh Bidhuri will take on Atishi in Kalkaji. AAP secured a landslide victory in the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats. 

New Delhi:

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated Durgesh Pathak as its candidate for the Rajinder Nagar constituency in the upcoming Delhi Assembly election. Mr Pathak, the youngest member of the Political Affairs Committee of AAP, is eyeing re-election after he won the 2022 bypolls from the same seat.  

Here are five facts about Durgesh Pathak:

1. Durgesh Pathak was born in Sikohara village near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. He arrived in Delhi in 2010 to prepare for the Civil Services examination. A year later, during Anna Hazare’s India Against Corruption (IAC) movement, Mr Pathak joined as a volunteer.  

2. During his initial years as an activist, Durgesh Pathak played an instrumental role alongside Arvind Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan in establishing AAP’s foundation in the national capital. In 2013, Mr Pathak managed the election campaign for Kejriwal, who defeated then-chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

3. In 2015, Durgesh Pathak was named Delhi co-convener of the party ahead of the Assembly polls. He was in charge of 35 of the 70 seats in the national capital. The AAP won 34 of them. He was also the co-incharge with Sanjay Singh for the 2017 Assembly election in Punjab.

4. Durgesh Pathak made his electoral debut in the 2020 Assembly elections. He was fielded from the Karawal Nagar seat.  Although AAP retained power in the national capital with a near-repeat of its 2015 performance, Mr Pathak lost to BJP heavyweight Mohan Singh Bisht. In 2022, after Raghav Chadha was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, his Rajinder Nagar Assembly seat fell vacant. The party announced Durgesh Pathak as the candidate for the by-poll. This time, the young leader defeated BJP’s Rajesh Bhatia by over 11,000 votes.

5. In July 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named Durgesh Pathak and four others in the Delhi excise policy case. The central agency claimed that Mr Pathak was the AAP in-charge of the 2022 Goa Assembly election and money received through kickbacks was spent on his instructions. In September 2024, Mr Pathak was granted bail in the case by a Delhi court.

New Delhi:

The BJP and AAP have launched aggressive poster campaigns against each other to sway public sentiment ahead of the Delhi assembly elections. The BJP alleged that AAP is resorting to voter fraud in a bid to retain power. 

The party shared a poster of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that multiple fraudulent voter entries, ranging from ages 40 to 80, were registered at a single address without the homeowner’s knowledge. BJP described this as “a new game by Kejriwal to rig votes.”

दिल्ली में केजरीवाल का नया खेल! वोटों का फर्जीवाड़ा करके सत्ता बचाने की कोशिश।

मकान मालिक को नहीं पता और उसके घर के पते पर सैंकड़ों वोट बना दिया था इस ठग ने वो भी एक विशेष समुदाय का (और नये वोटर की उम्र – 40 साल से लेकर 80 साल तक)#AAP_के_फर्जी_वोटर pic.twitter.com/xt11LKFFPH

— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) January 2, 2025

AAP countered with a video poster of Mr Kejriwal labelled “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time).

G.O.A.T. pic.twitter.com/RoNdSZGXFb

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) January 2, 2025

Mr Kejriwal yesterday accused the BJP of hypocrisy, claiming that while the party opposes honorariums for religious leaders, it simultaneously pushes for temple demolitions.

“People are angry,” Mr Kejriwal said in a post on X. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi expanded on these claims, stating that the BJP-led central government had empowered the Lieutenant Governor (LG) to order temple demolitions without consulting the elected Delhi government.

Atishi alleged that on November 22, the Religious Committee, which now reports directly to the Lt Governor, approved the demolition of temples in areas such as West Patel Nagar, Dilshad Garden, and Sultanpuri, along with a Buddhist temple in Sundar Nagari.

“The BJP’s dual face is clear. They claim to protect Hinduism but work to destroy temples,” Atishi said during a press conference. 

The BJP responded with a list of unmet promises by the AAP government. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accused Mr Kejriwal of failing to address critical issues like clean water, women’s safety, slum rehabilitation, pollution, and the cleaning of the Yamuna River.

“Instead of solving these problems, Kejriwal’s government has done nothing,” Mr Trivedi said. He claimed that while the BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has brought credibility to politics, AAP has done the opposite.

Another BJP leader, MP Praveen Khandelwal, dismissed AAP’s recent announcements, including honorariums for priests and granthis, as political gimmicks. “The Delhi treasury is empty. Kejriwal only makes announcements to gain electoral benefits,” Mr Khandelwal remarked.
 

New Delhi:

The Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, is conducting a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls with the qualifying date set as January 1, 2025, a statement said on Tuesday, highlighting the CEO’s emphasis that mere possession of a voter ID card does not guarantee the right to vote.

This process is being carried out as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, ensuring that the electoral rolls remain updated and inclusive for all eligible voters.

During the pre-revision period, house-to-house verification was carried out from August 20, 2024, to October 18, 2024, by Booth Level Officers.

This exercise aimed to identify unregistered eligible citizens, prospective voters turning 18 by October 1, 2024, as well as permanently shifted or deceased electors and duplicate entries, the statement said.

Following this, the draft electoral rolls were published on October 29, 2024, inviting the public to file claims and objections. These were accepted by November 28, 2024, and all the claims and objections received were already disposed of by December 24, 2024.

The final electoral roll, reflecting these updates, is scheduled for publication on January 6, 2025.

However, the process of updation of rolls with respect to addition, deletion and modification is a continuous activity and the same is undergoing at present also.

Between November 29, 2024, and the present date, 4,85,624 applications for new registrations (Form 6), 82,450 applications for deletions (Form 7), and 1,71,385 applications for modifications (Form 8) have been received till date.

Citizens who have not yet registered as voters can still apply for enrollment using Form 6, which requires submission of supporting documents for verification by the respective Booth Level Officer.

For modifications or deletions in the electoral roll, Form 8 and Form 7 can be filed.

The CEO Office, Delhi also reminded citizens that having multiple entries in the electoral roll or multiple voter ID cards is a punishable offence under Sections 17 and 18 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Recently, FIRs have been filed against eight individuals for submitting false documents for voter registration in the Okhla Assembly constituency in Delhi. Strict action will continue to be taken against such violations.

As a transparency measure, meetings with representatives of political parties were held on September 4. October 9 and 29.

The CEO Office emphasised that any un-enrolled eligible citizen, who has still not enrolled himself/herself in the electoral rolls, can apply for enrollment by filing Form-6 along with supporting documents. After filing Form-6, the form is assigned to the Booth Level Officer (BLO) of the part concerned for field verification.

On the basis of the BLO’s field verification report and the supporting documents, the form is disposed of by the Electoral Registration Officer concerned as per the procedure laid down by the Election Commission.

After the update of his/her name in the electoral roll, an EPIC PDF is generated and sent for printing. After receipt of printed EPIC, the same is delivered to the elector through post. An elector can also download his/her e-EPIC from the ECI’s portal https://voters.eci.gov.in

In case any elector has permanently shifted or expired, any elector of that particular Assembly Constituency can file Form 7 objecting to such entry in the electoral roll. After filing Form 7, notices are issued to the Objector and the Objectee through speed post as per relevant guidelines of the ECI except for registered death cases. If the elector fails to respond, the name is deleted from the electoral roll after following due procedure as laid down by the ECI and after giving sufficient opportunity to the elector concerned.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)