11 hrs ago
Election Commission Orders Drive to Restore Voters Left Out
India’s Election Commission has asked officials to help people who may have been left off voter lists.
The instruction applies in 20 states and Union Territories where a voter-list review has finished.
Eligible people can apply to join the list using Form 6.
They can check online whether their name is already listed.
Officials are also being asked to compare old and new lists and look for people who may have been missed.
Some officials may visit homes, and political parties can help with the effort.
A separate declaration added during the review will not be required for this drive, according to the article.
People who move address should use Form 8 instead.
Applicants can seek help by calling 1950.
The Election Commission of India directed officials in 20 states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision is complete to run a drive for voters left out of electoral rolls.
The September 29 instruction calls for enrolling eligible first-time voters and people omitted from the rolls through continuous updates using Form 6.
Reports cited in the article say nearly 13.3 crore names were deleted; Election Commission data attributed most to “absent, shifted, and others,” followed by deaths and multiple entries.
The Commission told officials to compare pre- and post-revision rolls, identify potentially omitted voters, visit some households, and seek help from political parties’ booth-level agents.
For areas where the revision is complete, the article says applicants use the plain statutory Form 6 without the separate declaration that was used during the SIR phase.
- Who
- The Election Commission of India, state election officials, and eligible voters who were left out or are registering for the first time.
- What
- A special drive to identify omitted voters and enroll eligible people using Form 6.
- Where
- The 20 states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision has been completed.
- When
- The instruction was conveyed in writing on September 29 and repeated at a video conference on Thursday; the article does not specify the year for these dates.
- Why
- To enroll eligible voters who may have been left out of electoral rolls during the revision.
Commissioners’ objections and reported concerns
Election Commission officials’ explanation
Whether Form 6 was changed
Commissioners’ objections and reported concerns
The article reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected to decisions made in the Commission’s name, including the Form 6 change. Sandhu reportedly called the change “unauthorised/illegal,” arguing that only the Centre can amend the rules governing the form.
Election Commission officials’ explanation
Election Commission officials said Form 6 itself was not amended; a separate declaration was added alongside it and had been approved by the full Commission.
Why the online declaration was required
Commissioners’ objections and reported concerns
The article reports that the online form would not allow applicants to submit without answering whether they or their parents appeared on an earlier voter list.
Election Commission officials’ explanation
Officials attributed the requirement to IT changes intended to avoid requiring applicants to e-sign twice. They said the declaration was confined to the SIR phase by the September 29 instruction.
Reported voter deletions
Commissioners’ objections and reported concerns
Reports cited in the article claim nearly 13.3 crore names were deleted from electoral rolls during the SIR process.
Election Commission officials’ explanation
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party denied the claim in a Facebook post.
Key facts
- Application form
- Form 6 is used to enroll as a voter.
- Areas covered
- 20 states and Union Territories where the SIR has been completed.
- Reported deletions
- Nearly 13.3 crore names, according to reports cited in the article; the BJP denied the claim in a Facebook post.
- Largest reported deletion category
- Around 9.5 crore names were marked “absent, shifted, and others,” according to Election Commission data reported by The Hindu.
- Other reported categories
- Around 2.7 crore deletions were attributed to deaths and approximately 1.01 crore to multiple entries.
- Checking voter registration
- The article directs readers to electoralsearch.eci.gov.in or voters.eci.gov.in.
- Help line
- 1950.
Quotes
Election Commission of India
India’s national body responsible for conducting elections and maintaining electoral rolls
“In State/UTs where SIR has already been completed, a special drive shall be undertaken by the Chief Electoral Officer, District Election Officers and EROs for the enrolment of left out and young/first time eligible electors under the process of continuous updation”
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Sources
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