State to urge ECI to extend SIR deadline

The demand to push the deadline in Maharashtra comes in the wake of the low pace of enumeration -- 31.02% -- so far, with Mumbai significantly lagging with just 13.29% digital entries.

MUMBAI: The chief electoral officer (CEO) of Maharashtra is expected to write to the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking an extension to complete the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The deadline for its completion is July 29. The move follows the election body granting similar extensions to several states, including Delhi.

State to urge ECI to extend SIR deadline

The demand to push the deadline in Maharashtra comes in the wake of the low pace of enumeration -- 31.02% -- so far, with Mumbai significantly lagging with just 13.29% digital entries.

The SIR exercise is being carried out in the state since June 30 to verify the nationality of voters. Nearly one lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been visiting households in the first phase to distribute Enumeration Forms (EFs), collect the filled-out forms from voters, and subsequently digitise the data.

In view of the low rate of enumeration, political parties have demanded an extension of the deadline. BJP’s in-charge for the SIR exercise, Kirit Somaiya, said, “Leaders of all political parties requested an extension during their recent meeting with the CEO, Maharashtra. The BLOs have been facing several challenges in reaching out to voters, which has affected the pace of their exercise. We expect the ECI to soon grant the extension.”

NCP (SP) leaders Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad met the CEO, S Chockalingam, on Thursday requesting the same. “We discussed the challenges faced by voters and BLOs during the SIR exercise. We emphasised that every voter must get the opportunity to complete the process, for which the extension should be granted,” said Patil.

Officials in the CEO’s office however said that no proposal seeking an extension has yet been sent to the ECI. “States which received extensions were close to the expiry of their deadlines. As Maharashtra’s deadline ends on July 29, the proposal, if required, is expected to be sent only a few days before that. We do not want the ongoing process to slow down on the assumption that additional time is available,” said the officer.