Total number of electorates has also jumped to 1,56,14,000 in 2025 compared to 1,47,18,119 in January 2024, an increase of about 9 lakh in one year. Total number of electors in Delhi in January 2020 were 1,47,86,382. Why the number of electorates shrank in 2024 compared to 2020, and why it rose sharply within one year in 2025 by about 9 lakh is surprising. It is still unexplained. Constituency wise changes in numbers of electorates are even more puzzling, which needs answers why there is such a demographic shift in number of electorates.

Chief Minister of Delhi Atishi had alleged on January 6 that there was large scale scam happening to manipulate the electoral roll of New Delhi assembly constituency where AAP Supremo Kejriwal is contesting. She had sought an immediate inquiry into the matter. She had also submitted a written complained to the Chief Election Commissioner.

Ms Atishi had said that a summary revision of the electoral roll was done by the Election Commission and after that, there have been a large number of applications to add and delete voters in the New Delhi assembly constituency, adding that “There is a conspiracy to manipulate the election in the New Delhi assembly constituency by adding about 10 per cent new voters and deleting 5.77 per cent voters.”

“Out of the 6,167 applications for voter deletion, 4,283 applications to delete votes were filed by merely 84 people. The expose of this scam is that, when these 84 people were called for hearing by the election commission after sending notices, all of these objectors came for the hearing and said that ‘we did not file any applications’,” she said.

AAP supremo Kejriwal, after a week, also wrote to CEC alleging that BJP’s central ministers and leaders are getting fake voters registered at their home addresses, and demanded that an FIR should be filed against the BJP leaders involved. BJP has, however, dismissed the claims as baseless, but also has alleged manipulation by AAP leaders. Nevertheless, Election commission officials have denied any truth is allegations of both the BJP and AAP leaders. CEC has assured that the procedures for updating the voter list were both stringent and transparent, and integrity of the electoral process is intact.

Nevertheless, it has been reported that in as many as 14 assembly constituencies, number of electorates have shrunk in January 2025 compared to January 2020. How it happened is puzzling, but sure to impact the political outcome. Many other assembly constituencies have on the other hand registered sharp increase in number of electorates.

Amidst these allegations and counter allegations of voters list manipulation in various constituencies, the change in number of electorates in every constituency in Delhi shows that the state is undergoing sharp demographic changes, particularly between January 2024 to January 2025.

There are 7 Lok Sabha Constituencies in Delhi and each of them has 10 Vidhan Sabha constituencies. Number of electorates in Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency have increased from 1609730 to 1681116 (71,386); in North East Delhi from 2381442 to 2554496 (1,73,054); in East Delhi from 2062423 to 2160506 (98,000); in New Delhi 1481338 to 1561974 (80,636); in North West Delhi 2472910 to 2684169 (2,11,259); in West Delhi 2488831 to 2624291 (1,35,460); and in South Delhi from 2221445 to 2347448 (1,26,003).

Such an uneven demographic change or shift within a year needs explanation, for various regions, since all the regions need development and social welfare schemes, according as the increase in population. Moreover, freebees are being committed by political parties in the fray, the demographic shift is surely to impact the election outcome differently based on the shift in electorates in the respective Vidhan Sabha Constituencies.

Not only that, such a demographic change has posed new challenges to the political parties regarding their winnability in the changed circumstances. It is precisely the reason behind allegations and counter allegations by AAP and the BJP regarding the voter list manipulation. Both the political parties are however reworking their strategies based on the fact changing demography of Delhi, scheduled to poll on February 5.

Election result will be announced on February 8, after which the new government will have to take note of the phenomena of fast changing demography in Delhi. (IPA Service)