Election Commission issued directives to Chief Electoral Officers of all states on September 29

New Delhi : Questions are being raised against the Election Commission regarding the large-scale deletion of names from voter lists across the country during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Amidst this, the Election Commission has taken a significant decision. It has directed the conduct of a ‘special drive’ in the 20 states and Union Territories where the SIR process has already concluded. The objective of this decision is to add the names of eligible voters to the electoral rolls who were missed for some reason during the SIR or who have since become eligible to vote.

Additionally, eligible youth and first-time voters will also be included in the voter lists. According to reports, the Election Commission issued these instructions via a letter to the Chief Electoral Officers of all states on September 29. The Commission subsequently reiterated these directives during a video conference held with the Chief Electoral Officers on Thursday.

The Commission has instructed Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers, and Electoral Registration Officers to facilitate the inclusion of eligible individuals—who have not yet been registered—into the voter lists as part of the continuous updation process.

In states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists has been completed, individuals can use the standard Form 6 to get their names added to the electoral roll. The additional declaration form required during the SIR will not be necessary for this purpose. In its September 29 directive, the Election Commission clarified that the additional declaration form associated with the SIR was applicable only during the SIR process itself. Once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) period concludes, the standard forms prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, will be used.

According to reports, the online Form 6 previously included a question asking applicants whether they or their parents were included in the electoral roll following the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections to this change. Now, following new directives from the Election Commission, individuals in states and Union Territories where the SIR process has concluded—and whose names were left out of the electoral roll—will be able to apply using the standard Form 6. The Commission has also instructed officials to identify eligible voters whose names failed to make it onto the electoral roll for any reason.

Reports indicate that during a video conference held on Thursday, state election officials were asked to compare the electoral rolls from before and after the SIR. The objective is to identify voters whose names were removed from the list without any apparent, valid reason. Officials have been specifically instructed to investigate cases where a voter’s name was not linked to a list elsewhere, and where the entry was neither a duplicate nor involved a deceased person. Once such voters are identified, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) may be directed to visit their homes to assist them in filling out Form 6 and re-enrolling their names in the electoral roll.

According to reports, the Election Commission has asked state election officials to enlist the help of political parties and their Booth Level Agents in identifying eligible individuals who were left off the electoral roll. This move comes amidst an ongoing investigation into the large-scale deletion of voter names during the SIR. According to The Indian Express, approximately 130 million (13 crore) names were removed from the draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union Territories. This special drive could also prove beneficial for the 97 individuals in Goa who were deemed eligible by Electoral Registration Officers but whose names could not be included in the final electoral roll. According to the Election Commission, Booth Level Officers in Goa were instructed to visit these individuals’ homes to collect the necessary forms. By September 26, 81 of the 97 individuals had filled out Form 6 to have their names included in the electoral roll. Subsequently, the Commission reported that 88 of the 97 individuals had either applied via Form 6 or had their applications accepted. Of the remaining nine, three were found to hold Portuguese passports, while six were residing outside India.

The Election Commission’s new directive applies to states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll has already concluded. Meanwhile, for states where the SIR is still underway, the Commission has outlined relief measures for voters facing notices. It was decided during the September 26 meeting that voters who have received notices regarding their status as ‘unmapped’ would not be required to personally appear before election officials in every instance. Booth Level Officers can visit their homes to collect the necessary documents and upload them to the ECI-Net system for verification by the Electoral Registration Officer. According to the Commission, personal hearings will be conducted only under special circumstances.

The Election Commission has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi to October 30. Additionally, the final date for issuing notices and disposing of claims and objections has been set for November 30. In Maharashtra, the deadline for filing claims and objections has been extended to October 12 while the deadline for their resolution is November 10.

According to the Election Commission, the special intensive revision of electoral rolls has been completed across 20 states and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal. The Commission stated that eligible individuals whose names were left out of the electoral rolls as well as young people and first-time voters can get their names added through the ongoing process of updating the rolls.

Report : Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)