Articles by Rajesh B Nair

Technology

No genuine elector will be left out from the electoral roll during SIR: Puducherry CEO

What is the latest update on the Special Intensive Revision exercise being conducted in the four regions of the Union Territory? Out of 10.21 lakh electors in Puducherry, we have distributed 9.7 lakh Enumeration Forms (EFs) and digitised around 4 lakh electors (as on November 21) in the ECINet. We are currently digitising at the rate of 50,000 electors per day, and we expect to pick up pace in the coming days. We have issued a step-by-step guide for enabling tech-savvy electors to fill their forms online through www.voters.eci.gov.in. Are you hopeful of completing the exercise by December 4, as scheduled by the Election Commission of India (EC), given the frequent disturbances in normal activities due to the onset of Northeast monsoon? Yes. We would be completing the exercise by December 4, as scheduled by the Election Commission. The monsoon is surely a factor that might hinder our progress. However, with good warning systems by the IMD and other sources, we would be able to reorient our collection and digitisation strategy. For instance, during the ongoing rain spells, we can collect back sufficient number of EFs from the electors in advance and use the rainy day to digitise from a central point. The strategy would vary with every Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) as the EROs function independently within their jurisdiction. There have been reports about some deficiencies in the process. For instance, many voters complained of difficulty in filling out one part of the enumeration form pertaining to the previous SIR. Could you clarify on the concerns of voters that they risk getting disenfranchised if they are not able to provide details, including EPIC number, relative’s name (father), name of Assembly constituencies, etc., Firstly, let me clarify that no elector would be left out of the electoral roll only for the reason of not being able to find their name in the Intensive Revision Roll of 2002. The elector can visit the website of CEO Puducherry — www.ceopuducherry.py.gov.in — to check their entry in the 2002 roll. However, despite these, if an elector is not able to find her/his entry in the last intensive revision roll, the elector shall have to return the form without fail, even though the person was not able to fill in the details fully. This would ensure that the person’s name would find her entry in the Draft Electoral Roll to be published on December 9, 2025. In such cases, the ERO would send a notice during the claims and objections period between December 9, 2025 and January 8, 2026. Let me also clarify that, in an election year, addition of names will be carried on till the last date of filing nominations. Form 6 (for inclusion) received till 10 days before last days of nominations will be disposed off. To sum up, post December 4 up and until 10 days before the last date of filing nomination for the 2026 election, eligible people can get enrolled. However, the EC would want to see all voters using the SIR opportunity for their enrolment. There are complaints of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) not making door-to-door visits and instead sitting in one place, like anganwadi centres and asking the voters to collect and submit forms. Your response... If there are specific complaints we will act upon it as BLOs are legally bound by their duty to conduct house-to-house enumeration. Our current level of distribution stands as a testimony to that. At present, the BLOs are visiting houses of the electors to collect the filled-in EFs. Electors facing difficulty can book a call with the BLO using the ECINet App (or) voters.eci.gov.in portal (or) call the 1950 toll-free number of the Election Department to seek any details regarding form-filling or submission. On reports of SIR process hampering academic schedules in schools... In Puducherry, we have as far as possible, avoided appointing teachers handling Class 10 and 12 as BLOs. However, in the few cases where teachers have been appointed, volunteers have been provided to ease the workload of the teacher-cum-BLOs. What about the level of cooperation from political parties, given the opposition to SIR raised by major parties in the Union Territory? In Puducherry, the political parties had been briefed well before the launch of the SIR, at the level of the CEO, DEO and EROs. As a testimony to their co-operation, currently 2,278 Booth Level Agents have been appointed by the political parties in Puducherry. This is more than twice the number of polling stations in the Union Territory. BLAs have been introduced to the BLOs by the EROs already. BLAs can also submit 50 EFs per day after giving an undertaking. We expect more active participation of the BLAs in the SIR initiative.