SIR drive launched in State; Political activity gains momentum

Surendra Soren

Ranchi

Jharkhand on Monday launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the Election Commission initiating statewide voter verification ahead of the publication of updated electoral rolls. The exercise began with meetings between Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLA-2) at polling stations across the state, setting the stage for an extensive door-to-door verification drive scheduled to continue until July 29.

On the opening day, senior Election Commission officials reviewed preparedness in several districts. Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar visited polling stations numbered 84, 87 and 89 in Torpa Assembly constituency of Khunti district, where he interacted with BLOs and BLA-2 representatives to assess the implementation strategy and review arrangements for the verification campaign. Similar inspections were carried out by election officials in Ranchi and Bokaro to monitor field-level preparations.

The Special Intensive Revision aims to verify the details of every registered voter through household visits, ensuring that the electoral roll remains accurate, updated and free from errors. The exercise is part of the Election Commission’s efforts to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process by identifying eligible voters while removing ineligible entries in accordance with prescribed procedures.

The launch of the campaign also triggered sharp political reactions across the state.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the exercise, describing it as an important step towards identifying and removing illegal entries from the electoral rolls. Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi alleged that infiltrators had been systematically occupying tribal land in the Santhal Pargana region and claimed the verification drive would help identify such illegal residents.

The Congress, however, said it would closely monitor the revision process to ensure that no eligible voter is wrongly excluded. Former Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Rajesh Thakur said the party had appointed its own BLA-2 representatives to oversee the exercise and safeguard the voting rights of genuine electors.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) central general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya urged the Election Commission to conduct the revision in a fair, transparent and impartial manner. He stressed that no eligible voter should be removed from the electoral roll and no ineligible person should be included. Bhattacharya also said the Election Commission should be allowed to function independently, while political parties should confine themselves to their respective responsibilities during the revision process.

The statewide verification exercise is expected to continue over the coming weeks under the supervision of election officials, with political parties closely monitoring its implementation.