In a significant move aimed at facilitating the electoral process, the Election Commission of India (EC) on Thursday issued directives exempting several categories of voters who are outside West Bengal from personally attending Summary Revision (SIR) hearings. This decision is expected to benefit a wide range of citizens, including government and PSU employees, migrant workers, military and paramilitary personnel, students, patients undergoing treatment elsewhere, and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
Who Can Be Represented and How?
The EC circular, issued by West Bengal's Additional Chief Electoral Officer Arindam Neogi, clearly states that these exempted voters can now be represented by their family members at the hearings. This provision is designed to ease the burden on those who cannot be physically present due to their circumstances.
Any family member of such an elector may attend the hearing with documents proving their relation with the elector and submit any of the 13 notified documents of the elector, the circular elaborated. This step simplifies the verification process for lakhs of voters currently residing outside the state.
Special Provisions for Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities
In addition to outstation voters, the EC has reiterated special provisions for other vulnerable groups. The commission clarified that electors above the age of 85, those who are extremely ill and face severe mobility challenges, and persons with disabilities are also not required to attend hearings at the notified venues.
If any hearing notices have been issued to individuals in these categories, election officials will contact them directly via telephone and instruct them not to step out of their homes. EC officials will instead reach out to their residences to carry out the necessary verification, ensuring both accessibility and safety.
Scale of the Revision Process
The directives come amid the ongoing intensive summary revision of the electoral roll in West Bengal. The scale of the task is substantial. Official data indicates that there are currently 31.6 lakh unmapped voters in the state. Out of these, election authorities have successfully delivered 25.6 lakh notices for hearings.
The process is moving at a brisk pace. Till now, over 7.2 lakh hearings have been completed across the state. Just on Thursday, the day the new directives were issued, more than 68,000 hearings were conducted in various districts. The EC's latest order is anticipated to streamline this massive exercise further, ensuring no genuine voter is left out due to logistical hurdles.
This proactive measure by the Election Commission underscores its commitment to making the electoral process more inclusive and voter-friendly, particularly for those who contribute to the nation away from their home constituencies.
