2 days ago
Uttarakhand Extends SIR Deadline Amid Surge in Deletion Requests
Uttarakhand is checking its voter list through a process called a Special Intensive Revision.
Many people asked officials to remove names from the draft list, while others asked to be added or to correct information.
More than 1.3 lakh removal requests were submitted.
Four districts made up more than 85% of those requests.
Officials have not finished checking all the applications.
The Election Commission extended the deadline so officers could complete the work.
The final voter list will now be published on October 3.
Officials must investigate a deletion request and give the voter a chance to respond.
They are also checking records that may belong to people who are absent, have moved, or have died.
The Election Commission extended Uttarakhand’s claims-and-objections deadline from September 9 to September 28.
Final publication of the revised electoral roll was postponed from September 15 to October 3.
The state received 1,30,382 Form-7 applications seeking voter-name deletions between July 14 and August 13.
Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital together accounted for more than 85% of the deletion requests.
As of September 7, 86,250 Form-7 applications, 1,14,579 Form-6 applications and 38,241 Form-8 applications remained under process.
- Who
- The Election Commission, Uttarakhand’s Chief Electoral Officer’s office, electoral officials and voters filing claims or objections.
- What
- Uttarakhand’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has generated more than 1.3 lakh Form-7 deletion applications and a significant processing backlog.
- Where
- Uttarakhand, especially Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital districts.
- When
- The claims-and-objections period began on July 14; its deadline was extended from September 9 to September 28, and the final roll will now be published on October 3.
- Why
- The deadline was extended to allow officials to complete pending claims and objections and verify voter records.
Election Commission’s Process
Concerns Highlighted by the Data
Need for additional time
Election Commission’s Process
The Chief Electoral Officer said the extension would help officials complete the disposal of pending claims and objections.
Concerns Highlighted by the Data
The data shows that tens of thousands of deletion, inclusion and correction applications were still awaiting decisions.
Protection against wrongful deletion
Election Commission’s Process
A Form-7 request does not automatically delete a voter; officials must investigate, provide an opportunity to respond and conduct field verification.
Concerns Highlighted by the Data
The draft roll had fewer electors than the 2022 final roll, and millions of records had been flagged for discrepancies, making careful review important.
Status of the revision
Election Commission’s Process
The state said hearings had been completed in virtually all notices generated during the revision, covering 99.96% of cases.
Concerns Highlighted by the Data
Despite the high hearing completion rate, 86,250 Form-7 applications remained under process, particularly in the districts with the most deletion requests.
Key facts
- Form-7 applications
- 1,30,382 deletion requests were received between July 14 and August 13.
- Applications disposed
- 44,132 Form-7 applications had been disposed of as of September 7.
- Form-7 backlog
- 86,250 deletion applications remained under process as of September 7.
- Largest contributing district
- Udham Singh Nagar recorded 43,878 Form-7 applications, nearly 34% of the state total.
- Four-district share
- Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital accounted for more than 85% of all Form-7 applications.
- Final-roll date
- The final electoral roll is scheduled for publication on October 3, instead of September 15.
- Hearings completed
- Hearings had been held in 24,29,524 of 24,30,387 notices, or 99.96%, as of September 7.
Quotes
BVRC Purushottam
Uttarakhand’s Chief Electoral Officer
“The Commission has fixed October 3 as the new date for the final publication of Uttarakhand’s electoral roll. The additional time will be used to complete the disposal of pending claims and objections.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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