CHENNAI: The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India (ECI) has drawn mixed responses from political parties, with the ruling DMK and its allies vehemently opposing it, while AIADMK, BJP and a few other parties supporting it.
However, confusions over the exercise and what it aims to achieve continue to plague a large section of the general public in TN, as it comes close on the heels of its completion in Bihar, where it faced widespread criticism.
TNIE spoke to officials engaged in the SIR exercise to clarify the most common doubts in the minds of the voters with regards to the procedure adopted for it, and fears about mass deletion of voters, submission of old documents, etc.
What is the procedure adopted after the distribution of the enumeration forms?
The booth-level officers (BLOs) will get the filled-in forms from the voters. Any mistakes or if the form is defective does not matter. The names of all those who return the filled-in enumeration forms will appear in the draft electoral rolls. If any member of the family is away from the place, any adult member of the family can sign the enumeration form. Suppose if the son is working in another place, the father or mother or wife can sign the form. The BLO will counter-check the facts.
What will happen to the absent-deleted-shifted voters during the enumeration period?
The BLOs will prepare a list of the absent-deleted-shifted voters, wherein he (officer) has specifically given the reason why the filled-in enumeration forms from these people could not be received. This list will be published by the electoral registration officers (EROs) after the publication of the draft rolls (that is, after December 9).
During the enumeration period, there will be no additions. The only exception is the distribution of new voter forms for those who have completed 18 years. For this, each BLO will be carrying 30 forms in addition to the enumeration forms. The process for verifying these forms (enumeration and new voter forms) will start after the publication of the draft electoral rolls.
The ECI states that any official document issued in India before July 1, 1987, can be shown as proof of residence or identity. This has created a lot of confusion among the voters. How to clear the air on it?
Firstly, no document is needed at the time of enumeration. After the publication of draft electoral rolls, the EROs or BLOs may ask for the required identification documents. Among them, the official document issued before July 1, 1987, is one of the 13 documents. If the voter does not have this, he can prove his identity with the help of any of the 12 other documents.
There is an apprehension about mass deletion of voters during SIR, after the allegations in Bihar. How is the ECI addressing this issue in TN?
All names of those who return the filled-in enumeration forms will appear in the draft electoral rolls. In Bihar, most of the deletions came under the categories of absent, shifted, and dead.
Political parties complain about the short timelines given for the SIR in TN. How to justify it?
The ECI has given the same period for the SIR exercise in TN as it gave for Bihar, which has more Assembly constituencies than TN. There is sufficient time for BLOs to distribute the enumeration forms and get them back.
There is a widespread doubt about inter-state voter transfer in TN since the ECI has included the Bihar SIR Extract as an acceptable identification document in TN. How to address this doubt?
The enumeration forms will be issued only to those whose names are in the electoral rolls of TN. If someone from Bihar has to enrol as a voter in TN, he has to submit the necessary application after the publication of the draft rolls. The political parties can very well object to any suspicious entries.
If a person has shifted residence from the place where they voted in 2002 to another location, where does their voting right currently apply?
Voting will be at the place where his name is included in the current electoral roll.
The husband’s/wife’s name is registered under his/her native place. At his/her present address, the only available address proofs are the Aadhaar card and the family card. Can his/her name be included in the electoral roll using only these two documents?
During enumeration, no document is required to be given. Filling out and signing the enumeration form alone is sufficient.
Is it mandatory to fill in the details of relatives in the form?
Names of father and mother are required. Other details can be provided, if available.
The name of a voter was omitted from the 2024 electoral roll. What should be done now to have it included?
Such voters can apply through Form 6 (for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls) during the enumeration phase from December 9 to January 8, 2026.
If a family member is employed abroad, how should that person’s form be filled out?
Any adult family member can sign on his/her behalf and submit, mentioning the relationship with the voter.
If the parents’ names were not included in the 2002 electoral roll, what steps should be taken?
In that case, details of the grandparents can also be provided.
If incorrect information has been entered in the enumeration form, will a new form be issued?
Voters can make corrections and sign the form. No need to give a new form.
What happens in case of administrative oversight?
Throughout the revision, supervisory officers, assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs), and DEOs conduct checks to ensure accuracy. Discrepancies or irregularities, if any, are reported and corrected immediately. The ECI and the chief electoral officer (CEO) monitor the process closely.