NEW DELHI: An urban-rural divide is being observed in the distribution and collection of enumeration forms, as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted in 12 states and UTs.
Sources in the Election Commission of India (ECI) said, the collection of enumeration forms from electors in urban areas was ‘much less’ as compared to rural areas as per the trends available so far. They said the most likely reason for electors not returning filled up enumeration forms is that electors are not available at home due to work or professional commitments. Constant migration was seen as another reason behind the lower form collection, they added.
In rural areas, the enumeration form collection by Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) was much higher as compared to urban areas, as Lucknow, Kanpur and Noida were among the cities that saw “much less” form collection, the sources said, quoting available trends from states where the SIR exercise is in progress.
They said a similar trend was seen in cities during the SIR exercise in Bihar last year, as Patna had recorded the lowest number.
The phase II of SIR began in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal on November 4. Except for Uttar Pradesh, draft electoral rolls have been published in all other states and UTs.
In Assam, a separate ‘special revision’ of electoral rolls is also in progress.
The last SIR conducted in states has been fixed as the cut-off date, like in the case of Bihar, where the 2003 voter list was used by the EC for intensive revision. Most states had the last SIR of the voter list between 2002 and 2004, and they have nearly completed the mapping of current electors according to the last SIR held in their respective states.
The primary aim of the SIR is to weed out ineligible voters by checking their place of birth. The move assumes significance in the wake of a crackdown in various states on illegal migrants, including those from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Collection of enumeration forms in urban areas ‘much less’ than rural areas
Possible reasons: unavailability of electors at home, constant migration
Form collection by Booth-Level Officers much higher in rural areas
Lucknow, Kanpur and Noida among cities with lesser collection
Similar trend was seen in cities during the SIR exercise in Bihar last year, as Patna had recorded the lowest number