The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi has sparked fresh controversy after prominent names were initially marked as “shifted” or “absent” before records were later altered under the ‘mark VIP’ category.

Senior poll officials revealed that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) had flagged several high‑profile leaders — including Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, BJP veteran L.K. Advani, and former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar — as permanently shifted or untraceable during field verification. However, these names were subsequently retained in the draft rolls after being cross‑checked against a “marked electors” database maintained at the constituency level.

This database is designed to ensure that public representatives, holders of declared offices, and prominent personalities are not excluded from the rolls, regardless of the outcome of ground verification. Officials confirmed that BLO applications were updated following fresh directions to safeguard such electors, effectively overriding earlier field reports.

The revelations raise questions about transparency and consistency in the SIR process, which has already faced criticism over mass voter deletions and alleged irregularities. With Delhi’s voter roll under intense scrutiny, the treatment of VIP electors highlights the delicate balance between administrative checks and democratic accountability.