Electoral authorities in Goa have initiated a critical process to verify the credentials of nearly two lakh voters whose details were not linked to previous electoral records. This move aims to finalize an accurate voter list for the state.
Hearings Commence for Unmapped Electors
On Tuesday, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) started conducting hearings for approximately 1.82 lakh individuals. These persons were not mapped in the electoral rolls prepared during the 2002 Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Their names currently feature in the draft electoral roll published on December 16.
To ensure their name remains in the final electoral roll, which is scheduled for publication on February 14, each unmapped elector must personally attend a hearing. They are required to bring original documents for verification. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Goel confirmed that all 1,82,400 notices have been printed, with around half already distributed by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across Goa.
Stringent Notice Delivery Protocol
The election commission has implemented a meticulous procedure for notice delivery. If a voter is not found at their registered address, BLOs have been instructed to paste the notice on the door of the house. Furthermore, they must take a selfie with the notice in the background and upload it to a dedicated portal as proof of delivery.
Each notice contains vital details such as the elector's name, EPIC number, assembly constituency, part and serial number, and address. It clearly states that the individual did not provide details in the previous SIR that could establish them or their relative as a registered elector. The notice specifies a particular date and time for the hearing before the AERO or ERO and includes the contact information of the assigned BLO for assistance.
The communication carries a stern warning: providing false information to a public servant is a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment. Giving any false declaration during the electoral roll revision process is also liable for punishment.
Urban Areas See Higher Numbers, Exemptions Sought
The scale of the task varies significantly across constituencies. Some assembly constituencies have as many as 10,000 notices to be issued, while others have around 2,000. CEO Sanjay Goel noted that urbanized areas with high industrial populations and absenteeism, such as Vasco, Cortalim, and Dabolim, have a larger number of unmapped voters.
To manage the volume, the CEO's office has sought exemption to conduct up to 500 hearings per day in these busier constituencies. During the hearings, EROs and AEROs will examine the submitted documentation and make a final decision, which may not be communicated to the elector immediately at the hearing.
Simultaneously, electoral officers are processing other routine forms for the addition of new names, deletions, and corrections. This includes applications from individuals whose names were removed from the draft rolls under the ASDD category—which stands for Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate entries.
This extensive verification drive underscores the election department's effort to cleanse the electoral roll and ensure only legitimate voters retain their franchise ahead of the final list publication next month.
