New Delhi, June 24 (UNI) The Election Commission today issued instructions for holding Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar to ensure that names of all eligible citizens are included in the Electoral Roll (ER).
The eastern state is likely to hold Assembly polls in October-November this year.
The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted in 2003.
Various reasons like rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants have necessitated the conduct of an intensive revision to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls.
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) shall be conducting house-to- house survey for verification during the process of this intensive revision.
In accordance with Section 23 of the Representation of People Act 1950, the eligibility conditions to enrol as an elector were already being verified by the ERO. Now, to ensure complete transparency, it would be necessary that the documents on the basis of which such satisfaction of ERO is arrived at, are also uploaded in ECINET.
However, these documents shall be accessible to authorized election officials only keeping in view the privacy issues. In case of any claims and objections raised by any political party or an elector, the AERO would inquire into the same before EROs satisfaction is arrived at. Under Section 24 of the Act, an appeal against the order of ERO can also be made to the District Magistrate and the Chief Electoral Officer.
CEO/DEOs/EROs/BLOs have been directed to take care that genuine electors, particularly old, sick, Persons with Disabilities, poor and other vulnerable groups are not harassed and are facilitated to the extent possible, including through deployment of volunteers.
While all efforts shall be made by the Election Commission to ensure that the revision process is smooth, ECI shall be seeking active involvement of all political parties in the process.
