16% voters found absent, shifted or dead during SIR: Haryana CEO

A Sreenivas said that these system generated discrepancies involving 26.3 lakh mapped voters pertain to unusual age gaps between an elector and their parents and grandparents, spelling mistakes in names, or mismatch in the elector’s photograph

Haryana chief electoral officer (CEO) A Sreenivas on Saturday said that during the first phase of the now concluded Special Intensive Revision (SIR), at least 16.39% registered voters were found absent, deceased or shifted permanently and names of such electors will be deleted in the draft electoral roll to be published on July 31.

The SIR of electoral rolls in Haryana was started on June 15 after which booth level officers (BLOs) conducted door-to-door verification of voters between June 15 and July 24. (HT File)

Of the state’s 2,06,55,929 registered electors, there are more than 26 lakh voters whose names figure in the draft electoral roll, but they will be verified again through a “Completely transparent exercise” as they fall under the category of “System generated anomalies,” the CEO said addressing a news conference.

He said that these system generated discrepancies involving 26.3 lakh mapped voters pertain to unusual age gaps between an elector and their parents and grandparents, spelling mistakes in names, or mismatch in the elector’s photograph.

The SIR of electoral rolls in Haryana was started on June 15 after which booth level officers (BLOs) conducted door-to-door verification of voters between June 15 and July 24. Every existing elector was given an enumeration form and based on the enumeration form received back along with required documents, a draft electoral roll will be prepared. The final electoral roll will be published on October 3.

“The draft electoral roll will be published on July 31. This will be made available on the official website as well as at all designated publication centres,” the CEO said.

Haryana currently has 2,06,55,929 registered electors, of whom 1,72,71,361 enumeration forms (83.61% have been digitised) and remaining 16.39% remained “uncollectable” and unmapped, the CEO said.

He said that 16.39% of voters’ enumeration forms remained “Uncollectable” due to various reasons called “ASDD” such as the voter was absent or shifted permanently or died or had also registered elsewhere.

According to the data, 9,36,646 voters (27.67% of total deleted votes) were found absent, 13,75,278 (40.63%) had permanently shifted, 7,66,205 (22.64%) had died, 2,04,916 (6.05%) were already enrolled as electors, while 101523 (3%) electors did not submit their enumeration forms due to other reasons.

Responding to a question, the CEO said the onus of getting registered again as voter will be on the individuals who have not been mapped because of reasons “Absent/shifted/death/duplicate”.

“If the name of any elector does not appear in the draft electoral roll to be published on July 31, he or she may submit Form 6 to get the name included again. The name will be included in the final electoral roll,” said Sreenivas.

He said that 20,629 BLOs distributed enumeration forms to 2,06,55,929 electors, out of which 1,72,71,361 enumeration forms have been digitised.

The CEO repeatedly made it clear that the name of any elector who falls in the category of “System generated anomalies” will not be deleted without giving an opportunity of hearing. If an elector is aggrieved by the decision of the electoral registration officer (ERO), an appeal may be filed before the district magistrate within 15 days. If the grievance still persists, a further appeal may be filed before the CEO within 30 days.

Sreenivas said the period of filing claims and objections along with the notice phase and disposal of objections will continue till September 28. During the notice phase, BLOs will issue notices to electors whose details could not be matched with the electoral roll prepared during the previous SIR or where discrepancies have been found during the mapping exercise.

“We shall issue a notice to all such (26 lakh) electors by adopting a proper procedure. Let me make it absolutely clear that no arbitrary decision will be taken in the cases of electors in question. Not a single name of the voter will be deleted without giving them hearing. It will be a fully transparent exercise with plenty of checks and a number of opportunities to appeal,” CEO said.

Those whose names have been left out of the electoral roll or who could not submit their enumeration forms may also submit Form 6. This facility will also be available online.

Sreenivas said that for the successful conduct of the SIR BLOs, EROs and district election officers (DEOs) are carrying out the exercise across all assembly constituencies in the state. In the next phase, assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) will also be associated with the exercise.

He further said that 37,055 booth level agents (BLAs) appointed by various political parties (19,051 by BJP, 15,818 by Congress, 1,476 by INLD, 342 by JJP) are also assisting in the process.