Citizens in Maharashtra who have been successfully mapped from the 2002 voter list to the latest list ahead of the special intensive revision (SIR) will not be required to furnish documents when enumerators visit. However, those whose mapping showed anomalies or who did not participate in the mapping process will need to show one of 11 specified documents to be included in the voter list after the SIR, state Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam announced on Friday.
What is the Special Intensive Revision?
The SIR is an exercise to verify names in the voter list. It aims to match current voter details with records from the 2002 electoral roll of the voter or their parents or grandparents. The physical visits by enumerators will take place between June 30 and July 29. The draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, and the final roll will be published on October 7. The qualifying date for the revision is October 1, 2026. The state currently has 9.9 crore voters.
Process for Voter Verification
Designated booth level officers (BLOs) will conduct house-to-house visits and distribute pre-filled enumeration forms. Voters must verify the information and sign the form. The enumerator will check if the information is correct or requires changes. They will also identify absent, shifted, deceased, or duplicate voters. Voters will need to provide a new photograph.
Prior to the BLOs' visit, voters who have not been mapped can access the Election Commission of India's website at http://voters.eci.gov.in to keep their details ready. “Voters can check their 2002 records or those of their parents from any part of the country, not just in their own city or state,” Chockalingam said.
Handling Missing Residents and Aadhaar
If a house is locked during the visit, a family member can fill the form. “The BLO will undertake three visits. Even after the draft electoral roll is published, people can fill Form 6 for inclusion in the electoral roll,” Chockalingam said. He also clarified that listing the Aadhaar number on the form is not mandatory. The Aadhaar document is only a proof of identity, not citizenship.
“The draft voter list will be published in multiple places in both physical and electronic form so voters can check their names,” Chockalingam said. This includes the website of the chief electoral officer, district electoral officer, BLOs, and booth level agents of political parties. Additionally, after the draft roll is published, names that could not be matched or showed discrepancies will be displayed at local self-government offices.
Challenges and Timeline
Asked about challenges faced by those living in buildings under redevelopment, Chockalingam said, “The election rules only look at the resident of a place at that point in time, not temporary or permanent. A person who has shifted is expected to fill a form for that place to show he has shifted.”
The last SIR was conducted in 2002-04 and took 13 months to complete. When asked whether the current revision can be finished in a shorter time span, Chockalingam said, “We can always ask for an extension.”
