Ensure no eligible voter is left out: CEO
Kumar Prabhat
Dumka
Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar has warned election officials against complacency as Jharkhand begins a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for the first time in 23 years. Reviewing preparations with officials from Dumka, Deoghar and Jamtara districts in the Santhal Pargana division, he stressed that every eligible citizen must be included in the voter list and that a casual approach would not be tolerated.
The CEO directed officials to strictly follow Article 326 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950, emphasizing that voting is both a constitutional and statutory right. Unlike the annual single-phase Special Summary Revision (SSR), the ongoing SIR is a two-phase exercise and is the 10th such revision conducted nationally.
During the first phase, existing voters in the draft electoral roll will be verified through signatures on enumeration forms. The second phase will deal with claims and objections, including applications for new registrations.
Kumar said the revision introduces stricter checks on birth dates and birthplaces. Instead of relying solely on self-declarations, voters will now have to provide valid documentary proof. However, to avoid inconvenience, the voter list prepared during the previous intensive revision will serve as the legal baseline. Those whose details match earlier records will not be required to submit fresh documents to establish their place of birth.
To ensure smooth implementation, the CEO instructed District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers to thoroughly study the Election Commission’s guidelines. He also called for comprehensive training of Booth Level Officers and supervisors to eliminate operational ambiguities before fieldwork begins.
The review meeting was attended by senior administrative officials, including Santhal Pargana Commissioner Sanjay Kumar and district election officers from Deoghar, Dumka and Jamtara.
