New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday announced a new measure to increase transparency in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating that political parties will receive lists of dead, shifted, absent, and duplicate voters before the publication of the draft rolls. The directive applies to nine states and three Union territories where the SIR exercise is currently underway.
The EC said booth-level agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties will be given voter lists cleaned by Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) ahead of the draft release. According to the Commission, this step is intended to help political parties verify deletions and corrections before the rolls formally enter the public domain.
Draft Rolls to Be Released on 16 December
The Commission confirmed that the draft electoral rolls for all 12 states and UTs conducting the SIR will be published on 16 December. The SIR, a more intensive version of the standard voter list revision, aims to detect inaccuracies and ensure that the rolls contain only eligible voters.
The ongoing revision mirrors similar large-scale clean-up exercises carried out previously, including in Bihar, where the removal of duplicate and ineligible names was a key focus.
EC’s Instructions to State Electoral Officials
In its directive issued to the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of the concerned states and UTs, the EC asked that BLAs receive a booth-wise list of voters identified under four categories:
- Absent voters
- Shifted voters
- Dead voters
- Duplicate voters
These lists contain the names of individuals whom BLOs were unable to contact even after three attempts, signalling potential ineligibility or the need for verification.
The EC emphasised that sharing this information before the publication of the draft rolls will allow political parties to raise objections or provide supporting documents if they believe any voter has been incorrectly categorised.
Purpose Behind the Move
According to the Commission, the initiative is meant to improve accuracy and foster confidence among political stakeholders during the revision process. By allowing BLAs access to the categorised lists before the draft rolls are made public, the EC aims to avoid disputes later in the revision timeline and ensure smoother finalisation of the electoral rolls.
The EC noted that the same protocol had been used earlier during the SIR conducted in Bihar, where booth-level scrutiny and early sharing of information helped streamline voter list updates.
With the draft rolls set for release on 16 December, political parties are expected to examine the lists closely and flag any discrepancies, marking a crucial phase of the SIR process.
