Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
The Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) has expressed concern over the growing number of voters included in the ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate) list prepared under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 of the electoral rolls.
A Congress delegation led by JPCC President Keshav Mahato Kamlesh, along with General Secretary Suryakant Shukla and senior leader Lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo, met Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K. Ravi Kumar on Tuesday and submitted a memorandum seeking an extension of the enumeration process.
According to the Congress, the number of voters in the ASDD list had reached 4,004,817 as of July 27, with the “missing” category accounting for a significant share of the entries. The party said the figures were particularly high in Assembly constituencies such as Ranchi, Hatia, Kanke, Dhanbad, Bokaro and Jamshedpur West, where the number of such voters reportedly ranges between 75,000 and 115,000.
The Congress argued that such a large number of voters being classified as absent raises serious concerns, especially when the digitisation process in the state is progressing satisfactorily.
The delegation also pointed out that the ongoing Shravani Mela in Deoghar and adjoining districts has affected both public movement and administrative functioning, making it difficult for many voters to complete the verification process within the stipulated timeframe.
The party further alleged that complaints had been received from several areas claiming that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were collecting enumeration forms without issuing signed acknowledgement receipts to voters.
Congress leaders said the absence of the unmapped voters’ list, coupled with the expanding ASDD list, was creating unnecessary confusion and anxiety among eligible voters.
In view of these concerns, the party urged the Election Commission to extend not only the enumeration phase but also the timeline for issuing notices and conducting hearings related to electoral roll revision.
The Congress delegation said Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar assured them that a proposal would be sent to the Election Commission of India seeking a 15-day extension of the SIR process beyond August 5, 2026.
The delegation also included Lal Prem Prakash Nath Shahdeo, Sunil Singh, and Rajesh Chandra Raju.
