3.3 million Delhi voters to get notice over 'discrepancies' in SIR details

In all, the draft roll comprises names of 9,753,577 voters—around 33% fewer than 14,510,299 names on the rolls as of June 30.

Electoral officials will send notices over discrepancies in details submitted to around 3.3 million Delhi voters, following the publication of the draft rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

Logical discrepancies in SIR pertain to voters whose details appear inconsistent with information available in the electoral database. (PTI/Representational)

Of the 3.3 million voters—whose names are in the draft rolls—1.9 million have been flagged for logical discrepancies, while 1.4 million could not be mapped with the 2002 rolls, officials said. These voters will be asked to provide supporting documents or clarification to establish their eligibility.

An official aware of the matter said, “A majority of the discrepancies are linked to different spellings of names in the current rolls and the 2002 rolls. They will have to produce documents specifying the correct spelling of their names.”

In all, the draft roll comprises names of 9,753,577 voters—around 33% fewer than 14,510,299 names on the rolls as of June 30. The exercise is part of the Election Commission’s effort to verify the electoral rolls and ensure that eligible citizens are not excluded while ineligible names are removed.

Officials said that logical discrepancies pertain to voters whose details do not match or appear inconsistent with information available in the electoral database. “Such discrepancies may require voters to clarify their particulars before their names are retained in the final electoral roll,” the official said.

Other anomalies include an age gap of fewer than 15 years or more than 50 years between an elector and a parent, or a gap of fewer than nine months between the birth dates of siblings.

The second category comprises voters whose names could not be linked to the 2002 electoral roll. These voters may have to establish their eligibility through documents prescribed by the Election Commission, officials said.

The notice process is expected to form an important stage of the revision exercise, but officials clarified that issuance of a notice “does not by itself mean that a voter has been declared ineligible”. Those receiving notices will get an opportunity to respond and submit the required documents or information.

Officials added that the Electoral Registration Officer may seek additional documents where there are doubts about an elector’s age or citizenship.

The Election Commission, in its suggestion of a list of supporting documents, included government or PSU employee or pensioner identity cards, documents issued by government authorities, banks, post offices, and LIC issued before July 1, 1987. Others listed were birth certificates, passports, matriculation or educational certificates, permanent residence certificates, forest rights certificates, caste certificates, NRC records where applicable, family registers and government-issued land or house allotment certificates.

Documentary requirements will vary according to the elector’s date of birth. Those born before July 1, 1987, will need proof of their date and/or place of birth; those born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004, will need documents pertaining to self and one parent; while those born after December 2, 2004, will need documents pertaining to self and both parents.

The claims and objections process will run till September 30, with the notice and disposal process scheduled to conclude on October 29. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4.