In a significant administrative exercise, the Madurai district administration has released a substantially revised draft electoral roll, removing a large number of ineligible voters from the list. The draft was officially unveiled by District Collector K J Praveen Kumar at the collectorate on Friday, in the presence of representatives from recognized political parties.
Massive Cleanup of Voter List
Prior to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, the total number of voters registered in Madurai district stood at 27,40,631. This figure was composed of 13,44,402 men, 13,95,938 women, and 291 voters in the 'other' category. The SIR, a detailed verification drive, aimed to create a more accurate and updated voter database.
The revision led to a major cleanup. A staggering 3,80,474 voters were removed from the electoral rolls. The reasons for their deletion were varied and point to outdated records. The breakdown of deletions is as follows:
- 2,36,068 voters had shifted from their registered addresses.
- 94,432 voters were deceased.
- 38,036 voters were absent from their given addresses during verification.
- 11,336 entries were found to be duplicate or double registrations.
- 602 voters were removed for other miscellaneous reasons.
The New Draft Electoral Roll Figures
Following this extensive revision work, the new draft electoral roll for Madurai district now contains 23,60,157 voters. The gender-wise distribution shows 11,58,601 men, 12,01,319 women, and 237 voters in the 'other' category. The release of this draft roll is a crucial step ahead of any future elections for the 10 assembly constituencies within the district.
Implications for the Electoral Process
The publication of the draft roll initiates the next phase where citizens can check their details and raise objections or seek corrections. Such intensive revisions are critical for maintaining the integrity of the electoral process, ensuring that only genuine and resident voters exercise their franchise. The removal of duplicate entries and records of deceased or relocated individuals helps prevent electoral malpractices and streamlines election management.
The exercise, led by Collector K J Praveen Kumar, underscores the administration's commitment to preparing a clean and reliable voter list. Political parties and the general public can now scrutinize the draft before the final electoral roll is published and frozen for elections.
