4 hrs ago
Pune Voters Challenge SIR Removals From Draft Electoral Roll
The Election Commission is checking voter lists through a process called the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR.
Officials were supposed to visit each voter’s home three times.
Some Pune residents say officials did not visit them, but their names were still removed or marked incorrectly.
Vijay Menon says he was wrongly listed as having permanently moved away.
He also says his parents’ names were removed because their voting address was not updated.
Shreyas Bhamare says the wrong spelling of his name stayed on the list while the correct spelling was deleted.
The Election Commission says people with missing names should contact their Booth Level Officer and fill out Form 6.
Voters can submit claims and objections until September 30.
The final voter list is expected on November 4.
Pune resident Vijay Menon says his name was wrongly marked “Permanently Shifted” after no Booth Level Officer visited his home.
Menon says his parents were also removed after failing to transfer their votes from Vadgaon Sheri to Chinchwad.
Kothrud resident Shreyas Bhamare says the correctly spelled version of his duplicated name was removed while an incorrect version remained.
The Election Commission says affected voters should contact their BLOs and submit Form 6 by September 30.
Hearings on electoral-roll anomalies are scheduled through October 29, with the final roll due on November 4.
- Who
- Pune voters, including Vijay Menon and Shreyas Bhamare, and the Election Commission.
- What
- Residents are challenging the removal or incorrect listing of their names in the SIR draft electoral roll.
- Where
- Pune, Maharashtra, including the Parvati and Kothrud Assembly constituencies.
- When
- The enumeration phase ended on August 17; the draft list was published on August 31, and claims are due by September 30.
- Why
- Voters say Booth Level Officers did not properly verify their residences or records, while the Election Commission is conducting the SIR to revise the electoral roll.
Voters’ objections
Election Commission procedure
Home verification
Voters’ objections
Vijay Menon and other residents say Booth Level Officers did not visit their homes as required, leading to wrongful removals or incorrect classifications.
Election Commission procedure
The SIR procedure required BLOs to visit each voter’s home three times, and the Election Commission has provided a claims-and-objections process for affected voters.
Correcting missing names
Voters’ objections
Residents say they were not clearly informed what to do after their names were removed and that correcting official errors could require time off work.
Election Commission procedure
The Election Commission has instructed voters with wrongly removed names to contact their BLOs and submit Form 6 before September 30.
Accuracy of voter records
Voters’ objections
Shreyas Bhamare says his correctly spelled duplicate entry was removed while an incorrectly spelled entry remained, despite his long-standing address.
Election Commission procedure
The Election Commission is reviewing anomalies connected with voters’ details and the 2002 electoral roll through notices and hearings.
Key facts
- Revision process
- The Special Intensive Revision is being conducted in Maharashtra along with eight states and three Union territories.
- Required verification
- Booth Level Officers were supposed to visit each voter’s home three times and map voters to the 2002 voter list.
- Draft list date
- The draft electoral roll was published on August 31.
- Correction deadline
- Affected voters have been told to submit Form 6 and contact their BLO by September 30.
- Hearing period
- Hearings for anomalies involving 2002 voter-list details will continue until October 29.
- Final roll
- The final electoral roll is scheduled for publication on November 4.
Quotes
Shreyas Bhamare
Kothrud resident who found an incorrectly spelled duplicate retained in the draft list
“We got in touch with the local BLO. He said we need to get in touch with the BLO in Vadgaon Sheri. That BLO said he was busy and would call back, but he never did. Now my parent’s name has also been deleted. I understand that they did not shift their votes, but it’s going to cost me my salary because I will not get leave for this. The government has not declared that this is an important national duty like voting where we get a holiday.”
indianexpress.com
“I gave him details of my grandfather that I had. But then I realised that my name is registered twice, one with a correct spelling and one with a wrong spelling. Then later when I saw the draft list, my name with the correct spelling has been removed and one with the wrong spelling is included. How can this happen?”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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