Archive · 30 Sep 2026
Maharashtra EC tells BLOs halt hearings for SIR-noticed residents
Maharashtra is checking its voter list through a process called the Special Intensive Revision.
Some people received notices because their details did not match the 2002 voter list or had other problems.
The Election Commission said these people usually do not need to go to hearing centres.
Instead, Booth Level Officers should visit their homes and help collect documents.
Hearings can happen only in special cases, preferably online.
Maharashtra officials told local officers to explain this change to residents.
However, some people still received old notices telling them to attend hearings.
This caused confusion among both residents and election officers.
Officials were also told to give people enough time before removing anyone from the voter list.
Maharashtra’s Election Commission directed Booth Level Officers to tell residents already served SIR notices not to attend scheduled hearings.
The directive follows the Election Commission of India’s September 26 decision to avoid hearings except in exceptional cases.
BLOs must instead visit voters’ homes, collect required documents, and write that attendance at hearings is unnecessary on new notices.
Pune generated 13,32,845 notices for residents whose details were not mapped to the 2002 roll or contained logical discrepancies.
Despite the directive, some residents and officers remained confused, and at least one resident was still asked to attend an October 6 hearing.
- Who
- Maharashtra’s Election Commission, Booth Level Officers, election officials, and residents served SIR notices.
- What
- BLOs were instructed to tell notified residents not to attend scheduled hearings and to visit their homes instead.
- When
- The state directive was issued on Wednesday, following the Election Commission of India’s September 26 decision; one cited hearing was scheduled for October 6.
- Where
- Across Maharashtra, including hearing centres and constituencies in Pune.
- Why
- The Election Commission changed the process so that hearings would generally not be held for voters served notices during the SIR.
Formal Election Instructions
Ground-Level Confusion
Whether residents should attend hearings
Formal Election Instructions
The Election Commission’s latest instructions say residents served notices should generally not attend hearings; BLOs should visit their homes instead.
Ground-Level Confusion
Some residents were still given notices directing them to attend specific hearings, while officers said instructions were changing frequently.
- Process
- Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls
- National decision
- The Election Commission of India announced on September 26 that hearings would generally not be held for notified voters.
- Maharashtra instruction
- BLOs must inform already-notified residents not to appear and should visit their homes instead.
- Pune notices
- 13,32,845 residents had notices generated against their names.
- Notice reasons
- No mapping with the 2002 voter roll or logical discrepancies in voter details.
- Exceptional hearings
- An Electoral Registration Officer may order a hearing in exceptional circumstances, preferably online.
- Due process
- Officials were told to provide sufficient time before deleting a voter and seek help from local political party representatives.