ECI orders re-enrolment of eligible voters within month

New Delhi The Election Commission of India has directed Chief Electoral Officers in States and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been completed or is underway to identify eligible voters left out of the electoral rolls and ensure their re-enrolment within one month. In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officers, the ECI instructed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to compare pre-SIR electoral rolls with the current lists. They have been asked to prepare a list of electors whose names are missing and conduct door-to-door visits to establish their present status. The Commission said eligible people left out of the rolls should be enrolled again through Form 6. The exercise is intended to ensure that voters who qualify for registration are not excluded from the electoral process after the revision of the rolls. The ECI suggested that BLOs may cover at least 20 to 25 electors every week to complete the verification and enrolment exercise within about one month. The field visits will allow officials to verify whether the individuals concerned remain eligible for inclusion. The direction applies to all States and Union Territories where the SIR process has either been completed or is currently underway. The Commission’s instructions place responsibility on BLOs to identify eligible electors omitted from the current rolls, verify their status through household visits and facilitate their re-enrolment using the prescribed Form 6 application. The exercise is aimed at completing the process within the one-month period. The move follows the Commission’s emphasis on checking omissions and giving eligible electors an opportunity to have their names restored to electoral rolls through the prescribed procedure. The exercise requires timely verification so eligible cases are not overlooked.