NOB, Hyderabad / New Delhi: The claim that “Vote Chori” (vote theft) is a criminal offence under which cases have been filed in India is factually incorrect. Officially, not a single criminal case has been registered anywhere in the country under the term “Vote Chori”.

Here are the real facts behind the “Vote Chori” allegations being heard recently on social media and political platforms:

1. “Vote Chori” Is A Political Campaign:
   In politics, parties often use catchy slogans to take an issue strongly to the public. The opposition, mainly the Congress party, has been campaigning against alleged irregularities in the Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls and the deletion of eligible voters’ names under the slogan “Vote Chori”. It is a political allegation, not the official name of a case registered in courts.
2. Opposition’s Argument:
   The opposition alleges that a large number of people’s names have been deleted from the voters’ list in violation of rules, causing genuine voters to lose their right to vote. They point to a lack of transparency in the deletion process.
3. Clarification By Election Commission (ECI) And Courts:

• Deletion As Per Rules: According to the Election Commission, names are deleted from the list only after field-level verification (BLO Verification) of those who have migrated from one area to another, those who are deceased, or those who no longer reside there due to demolition of houses (for example, in the Bela Estate case).
• Rejection By Courts: The Supreme Court has dismissed some Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed on this matter. The court clarified that specific evidence of someone’s vote being unjustly deleted should be brought forward, rather than just political allegations.

Conclusion:
Although no cases have been registered proving “Vote Chori” legally, the debate continues due to technical flaws in voter list deletion and political differences. The Election Commission provides an opportunity for anyone whose vote has been mistakenly deleted to re-apply for voting rights through Form-6.