A senior official of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday urged officials in Mizoram to exercise greater vigilance against illegal migrants and fraudulent practices, citing the state's long and porous international border. ECI secretary Binod Kumar and director Shubhra Saxena arrived in Aizawl on Monday for a two-day visit and held a review meeting with election officials from Aizawl district to assess progress of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Mizoram. The meeting also discussed measures already undertaken and future strategies for completing the exercise.
Key Directives from ECI Officials
Saxena, who chaired the meeting, said SIR is a sensitive and important exercise requiring diligence and care. She asked officials to strictly follow the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950, to ensure eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll and ineligible persons are excluded. The emphasis was on maintaining the integrity of the electoral process in a state that shares borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Call for Cooperation and Mobility
Mizoram chief electoral officer (CEO) Garima Gupta called on officials to work with cooperation and unity, to be more mobile, and to consistently support booth level officers (BLOs). She also conveyed her best wishes for the successful completion of the SIR exercise in the state. The meeting highlighted the need for field-level verification and regular updates to the electoral database.
Aizawl district election officer (DEO) and deputy commissioner Lalhriatpuia, electoral registration officers (EROs), assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs), BLOs, and other election officials attended the meeting. The ECI team is scheduled to continue their review in other districts of Mizoram during their visit.
