Election Commissioner SS Sandhu was among several prominent voters whose names were flagged during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Delhi. His case came to attention after a discrepancy was identified between the name details submitted in his Enumeration Form and the information available in the electoral roll from the previous revision.
Sandhu is a registered voter in the Delhi Cantonment Assembly constituency. According to election officials, his entry was identified under the category of discrepancy in name during the process of linking current electoral records with the previous electoral roll.
The Delhi Cantonment Electoral Registration Officer subsequently clarified that the notice issued to Sandhu was part of the established SIR verification procedure. The ERO said notices are issued when an elector’s current entry cannot be linked with the previous electoral roll or when a logical discrepancy is identified during the linking process.
The issue arose after Sandhu’s name details in the Enumeration Form differed from the name appearing in the electoral records. Earlier reports said he had submitted his name as Dr S S Sandhu, while the existing voter record carried the name Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. This difference resulted in his entry being flagged for verification.
The electoral authorities have now confirmed that Sandhu’s case has been examined. The Delhi Cantt ERO said that the details, facts and documents submitted by Sandhu were duly verified. Following the verification, his electoral entry was validated and retained for inclusion in the final electoral roll.
The final electoral roll for the Delhi Cantonment constituency is scheduled to be published on November 4, 2026, according to the electoral revision timetable.
The Sandhu case is part of a much larger verification exercise being carried out across Delhi. More than 33 lakh electors have been issued notices in connection with discrepancies identified during the SIR process, according to recent reports. The notices involve different categories, including discrepancies in names, parent details and cases where current electoral records could not be mapped to the previous revision.
Several prominent public figures have also been included among the voters whose records have been flagged for verification. They include External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and several senior government officials.
In Sandhu’s case, the specific issue was related to his name. Other voters have received notices for different reasons. For example, some records have been classified as unmapped with the last SIR, meaning that the current electoral entry could not be linked with the relevant records from the previous revision.
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer has emphasised that an SIR notice should not be interpreted as an automatic deletion of a voter’s name. Officials have said that the purpose of the notice is to allow the concerned elector to provide a response and supporting documents so that the electoral record can be verified.
The electoral authorities have also stated that no voter’s name can be removed from the electoral roll without giving the concerned elector an opportunity to be heard and issuing an appropriate order. Voters receiving notices can submit their replies and required documents to the concerned Electoral Registration Officer or Booth Level Officer.
The verification process is therefore intended to address discrepancies in electoral records before the final voter list is published. Election officials examine the documents submitted by voters along with available electoral records and reports from Booth Level Officers.
In Sandhu’s case, this process has already resulted in the validation of his electoral entry. The Delhi Cantonment ERO said his name has been retained for inclusion in the final electoral roll.
The development is significant because Sandhu himself is an Election Commissioner of India, while the SIR exercise is being conducted under the Election Commission’s electoral-roll revision framework. His name being flagged for verification has therefore attracted attention amid a wider debate over the SIR process in Delhi.
However, the authorities have treated his case as a routine verification matter arising from a discrepancy in electoral data. The subsequent validation of his entry demonstrates that the notice itself was not a final decision regarding his eligibility as a voter.
The SIR exercise involves comparing current electoral information with records from earlier revisions. Where discrepancies are detected, election officials may seek additional information or documents from the concerned voter.
The Delhi CEO office has also clarified that the list of documents that can be provided during the verification process is indicative rather than exhaustive. Electoral Registration Officers are expected to consider the available documents and the report of the Booth Level Officer before taking a decision in individual cases.
The broader SIR process has generated political and public discussion because of the large number of voters whose records have been flagged. Opposition parties and other critics have raised concerns about the possibility of eligible voters being affected, while election authorities have maintained that the exercise is intended to verify and update electoral records.
The authorities have also provided a claims and objections process. According to the current schedule, claims and objections received up to September 30 will be dealt with by October 29. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4.
The Sandhu case also highlights the importance of checking electoral details carefully during the revision process. A discrepancy in spelling, name format or other personal information can result in an entry being flagged for verification.
For voters who receive similar notices, the electoral authorities have advised them to respond to the concerned officials and submit the relevant documents. The purpose of this process is to allow discrepancies to be examined before the final electoral roll is prepared.
As of September 21, 2026, Sandhu’s electoral entry has been validated following verification of the documents and information he submitted. His name is set to be included in the final electoral roll for Delhi Cantonment, subject to the completion of the scheduled SIR process.
The development also provides clarification on the nature of the notice issued to Sandhu. It was related to a discrepancy in his name and was part of the electoral verification process. It was not, by itself, a final order removing his name from the voter list.
The Delhi SIR exercise will continue through the claims, objections and verification stages before the final electoral roll is published. Further changes to individual entries will depend on the outcome of the prescribed verification and appeal procedures.