NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday said 88 of 97 voters whose names were not included in the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Goa have either filed Form 6 applications or had their applications accepted.
Of the remaining nine voters, three were found to be Portuguese passport holders, while six are currently residing outside India, the ECI said.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Goa said election authorities were trying to contact the six voters residing abroad. “In respect of the voters who are currently residing outside India, the concerned officials are making efforts to establish and maintain contact with them for further necessary action,” the CEO said in a footnote.
The CEO has also directed concerned Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to conduct house-to-house visits to voters left out of the electoral roll and collect their forms. The ECI said 81 of the 97 voters had already filed Form 6 for inclusion.
The Commission last week said BLOs would visit the homes of electors who received notices during the ongoing SIR for being unmapped or having logical discrepancies, to collect documents.
“In exceptional circumstances, as decided by the ERO, the hearing will be held preferably online,” the ECI said. It added that an adult family member could be authorised by an elector to attend the hearing on their behalf, if required.
The ECI also directed District Election Officers to set up adequate help desks and hold special camps for people living in night shelters, labourers, poor people and homeless persons.
The Commission said the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court. For non-SIR periods, forms applicable under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, will continue to be used.
It also said a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from IIT/IIIT would review the ECINet system to ensure compliance with electoral laws and rules.
The ECI said SIR had been completed in 20 States and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal. It added that people whose names were left out during SIR or thereafter, including young and first-time voters, could apply for inclusion in electoral rolls under the continuous updation process.
Chief Electoral Officers have been directed to facilitate enrolment and launch special drives for inclusion of eligible voters.
