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Uttarakhand Plains Dominate Voter-Deletion Applications During SIR
Uttarakhand is checking its voter lists through a process called the SIR.
People can use Form-7 to ask that a name be removed from the list.
More than 85% of these requests came from four districts in the plains.
These districts are Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital.
A BJP minister said many people move in and out of these busy areas, which may explain the requests.
Congress leaders questioned whether minorities and other disadvantaged groups could be affected.
An Election Commission official said the numbers alone do not prove why the requests were concentrated there.
Many applications were still being examined, so the deadline was extended and the final list will come later.
Four plains districts—Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital—accounted for over 85% of 1,30,382 Form-7 applications.
Udham Singh Nagar recorded the most applications at 43,878, followed by Haridwar with 29,369.
The BJP attributed the concentration to population size, migration and cross-border movement, while Congress questioned whether minority and disadvantaged communities were disproportionately affected.
As of September 7, 44,132 applications had been disposed of and 86,250 remained under process.
The claims-and-objections deadline was extended to September 28, with the final electoral roll scheduled for October 3.
- Who
- Uttarakhand’s Election Commission, BJP representatives and Congress representatives are involved in the discussion over Form-7 applications.
- What
- A large majority of voter-deletion applications during the SIR claims-and-objections period came from four plains districts.
- Where
- Uttarakhand, especially Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital.
- When
- Applications were received from July 14 to August 13; the status was reported as of September 7, and the deadline was extended to September 28.
- Why
- The BJP cited population and migration, while Congress alleged that the process could affect minority, poor, SC and ST communities; the Election Commission cautioned that the figures alone do not establish a cause.
Congress’s concerns
BJP and Election Commission responses
Reason for concentration
Congress’s concerns
Congress questioned whether the concentration in these districts is connected to their relatively large minority populations and alleged that minorities, poor people, SC and ST communities could be targeted.
BJP and Election Commission responses
The BJP attributed the pattern mainly to the districts’ larger populations, urban character, migration and movement across Uttarakhand’s borders. The Election Commission said the figures show applications received but cannot by themselves establish an explanation.
Assessment of the deletion process
Congress’s concerns
Congress said it was not opposed to the SIR but objected to how the deletion process was being conducted and alleged that the Election Commission was acting in the BJP’s interests.
BJP and Election Commission responses
The BJP minister rejected the suggestion that any minority was being targeted. An Election Commission official said district totals may vary according to how actively people examined electoral rolls.
Key facts
- Total Form-7 applications
- 1,30,382 received during the claims-and-objections period
- Four-district share
- More than 85% came from Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Dehradun and Nainital
- Largest district total
- Udham Singh Nagar recorded 43,878 applications
- Applications disposed
- 44,132 had been disposed of by September 7
- Applications pending
- 86,250 remained under process as of September 7
- Extended deadline
- Claims and objections can be submitted until September 28
- Final electoral roll
- Scheduled for publication on October 3
Quotes
Suryakant Dhasama
Senior vice-president of the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee
“These four districts are happening in most of the seats where Muslims, minorities, poor people, SC, ST are there. They are targeting them because they are the vote base of the Congress Party.”
indianexpress.com
“These are the big cities of our state. There has been a lot of movement of people here.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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