The Election Commission of India (ECI) has given voters another chance to get their names on the electoral roll.
The decision is dated Friday, November 6. It covers seven states and Union Territories, including Delhi.
This is in the news today because of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Many names were left out of the draft electoral rolls during this exercise.
Key points
- Voters marked Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate (ASDD) were left out of the draft rolls.
- Booth Level Officers will help voters submit forms online through ECINET.
- Voters can use their old Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers.
- Officials must prevent duplicate enrolments while the process runs.
So who was left out, and why?
The Commission is targeting voters marked as Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate.
Their names were removed from the draft rolls.
CNBC-TV18 reported that their enumeration forms were issued but never returned.
Kerala Kaumudi, however, reported that the forms had been received, and that names were removed for various reasons.
The two reports differ on this point.
The Free Press Journal said the aim is to help voters who may have been left out because of errors or discrepancies during verification.
What can voters do now?
Officials will display the lists of excluded voters again.
The lists will be shown at polling stations and local government bodies.
The lists will also be available as PDF files on the state websites.
Voters can use their previous EPIC numbers when filling out the forms again.
Voters who have moved within their state, and homeless persons, get special provisions.
Booth officers will contact them and help them apply.
- 1Check the excluded listsLists are shown at polling stations and local government bodies, and as PDFs on state websites.
- 2Fill the forms againVoters can use their previous EPIC numbers when filling out the forms.
- 3Special provisionsVoters who have moved within their state, and homeless persons, get special provisions.
- 4Get help from booth officersBooth officers will contact these voters and help them apply.
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
What happens next for the process?
The ECI has asked officials to set up a monitoring mechanism.
This is meant to make sure no eligible voter misses the final roll.
Officials must also submit an action-taken report. They have been told to publicise the opportunity widely.
At the same time, the Commission has warned officials to prevent duplicate entries.
The goal is to keep the voter lists accurate.
