Chief poll officer says ECI to rule on SIR for voters displaced due to redevelopment

This was stated during a meeting between CEO S Chockalingam and a delegation of the Maharashtra SIR Jagruti Abhiyan, which sought measures to address concerns over the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has forwarded to the Election Commission of India (ECI) a proposal to amend rules governing voters displaced due to redevelopment projects, while also considering expanding the list of documents accepted to establish citizenship for vulnerable communities such as the Katkari tribe.

Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam (HT Photo)

This was stated during a meeting between CEO S Chockalingam and a delegation of the Maharashtra SIR Jagruti Abhiyan, which sought measures to address concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, including the exclusion of eligible voters.

Joint election commissioner Manohar Parkar said the proposal to amend rules for voters living in transit accommodation due to redevelopment has been sent to the ECI. “We have sent our proposal to amend the rules relating to voters from buildings undergoing redevelopment to the ECI. The commission is seeking legal advice before any changes are made,” said Parkar.

“We are also considering the inclusion of additional documents required to establish citizenship for migrant communities such as the Katkari. However, a decision on extending the deadline has to be taken by the ECI,” he added.

A delegation representing the Maharashtra SIR Jagruti Abhiyan, a platform of more than 20 civil society organisations, met Chockalingam on Monday. They raised issues including the short timeline for enumeration during the SIR, lack of public awareness, documentation hurdles, inconsistencies in voter mapping by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), and challenges faced by migrant workers, transgender persons, homeless citizens, senior citizens and other vulnerable groups.

Political parties have also urged the CEO to allow voters displaced by redevelopment projects to remain enrolled at their original addresses instead of requiring them to register at their temporary transit accommodation.

“The enumeration of voters from buildings undergoing redevelopment is currently being carried out at their transit accommodation, as that is treated as their ordinary residence. We have demanded that these voters be allowed to remain enrolled at the polling booths where they have been voting for years. There is no point shifting their registration when it is only temporary and they are expected to return to their original homes within three years,” said Congress MLA Amin Patel.

Ulka Mahajan, state convenor of the Bharat Jodo Andolan, which was part of the delegation, said the SIR deadline must be extended. “BLOs are overburdened and inadequately trained, creating hurdles in the process. Lack of awareness among voters has made their work even more difficult,” she said.

Mahajan said the delegation demanded the inclusion of more documents in the existing list of 12 accepted documents for proving nationality, such as farming and hamlet-related records, e-Shram cards and MGNREGS job cards.

“Communities such as the Katkari migrate to charcoal kilns in forest areas for nearly eight months every year and changes in the monsoon cycle have delayed their return home. Similarly, because of the ongoing Wari pilgrimage in western Maharashtra and the sowing season, many farmers are not at home when BLOs visit. We therefore requested an extension of the enumeration period,” a delegation member said.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra CEO’s office on Wednesday warned BLOs against conducting enumeration work from political party offices. The office said it had taken serious note of such instances and warned of disciplinary action.