The objective of SIR is to ensure clean electoral rolls, says official

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Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan speaking to officers during a meeting to review preparation for SIR in Belagavi on Monday. | Photo Credit: P.K. BADIGER

The objective of the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is to see that the electoral rolls are cleaned and are error free. All officers are expected to work towards such goals, Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Mohammad Roshan said in Belagavi on Monday.

At a meeting in the Suvarna Soudha, Mr. Roshan asked officers to take all steps to ensure that no eligible voter gets left out of the electoral rolls.

“We need the full co-operation of voters and political parties in ensuring a successful SIR. Officers should clarify all doubts that are in the minds of the people,” he said.

“Some political parties have been expressing concerns about the quality of the voter list and the removal of deceased and displaced voters from the list. All such questions need to be answered through a proper SIR,” he said.

“Maintaining the integrity of the voter list is a basic requirement for elections. Errors, repetitions and duplications may have crept in the rolls due to reasons like electors moving from place to place because of rapid urbanization, migration for education and livelihood or otherwise. During SIR, the booth level officers and others deputed for the purpose should visit the houses of electors at least three times and submit the enumeration forms. Voters have to fill their details based on the previous SIR voter list and submit the application along with any documents asked for by the BLOs. The BLOs will then verify them and record them in the software. Officers should make it clear to electors that there is no possibility of removing names from the voter list if they produce the necessary documents. Form 6 should be submitted to seek inclusion of new names in the voter list,” the Deputy Commissioner said.

SIR has begun in several States and in Belagavi district, it will be held from Ju