ECI's Mega Drive in 20 States to Restore Missing Names Amid SIR Row
Responding directly to rising political concerns and public allegations regarding large-scale deletions from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out an aggressive, time-bound recovery campaign across 20 states. The poll panel issued stringent instructions to state election authorities to immediately initiate a targeted drive in all assembly segments where the electoral roll correction process had concluded. The intervention is aimed at restoring legitimate electors whose names were erroneously struck off during database clean-up operations, while fast-tracking registrations for first-time young voters.
High-Level CEO Conclave Formalizes Month-Long Electoral Recovery Plan
The decision was formalized through an official notification issued on Thursday, following an extensive virtual review conference convened by the Commission with Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all participating states. During the deliberations, top election administrators laid down an actionable blueprint to systematically review discrepancies arising from the revision drive. Dismissing media speculation regarding internal dissent within the poll body over SIR execution, the Commission clarified that all policy measures and administrative steps regarding the intensive revision were adopted unanimously by the full bench.
BLOs Mandated for Rigorous Door-to-Door Audit and Cross-Verification
Under the newly issued directives, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been instructed to conduct an exhaustive cross-comparison between pre-SIR electoral registries and the newly published final rolls. This line-by-line audit will pinpoint individuals whose voter records existed in the original roll but were absent from the revised version. To ensure comprehensive coverage, BLOs will carry out physical door-to-door visits to verify each omitted voter, operating with a designated target of verifying 20 to 25 affected electors weekly, ensuring complete operational closure of the verification drive within a four-week window.
Instant Form 6 Processing and Transparent Oversight with Political Parties
To eliminate administrative friction, BLOs visiting households are empowered to collect and process Form 6 enrollment applications on the spot from eligible youths and wrongfully deleted citizens. In an effort to maintain institutional transparency and prevent partisan friction, verified records and updated revision lists will be shared directly with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by recognized political parties. This field-level collaboration ensures that every political stakeholder can independently verify inclusions, guaranteeing an accurate, inclusive, and controversy-free electoral roll ahead of upcoming electoral battles.
