Davanagere District Launches Pre-Election Voter List Verification Drive
In a significant move to ensure electoral integrity, preliminary activities for the comprehensive revision of the voter list, known as the pre-special intensive revision (Pre-SIR), are currently underway in Davanagere district. Authorities have issued notices to a staggering 56,941 duplicate voters identified across various assembly constituencies.
Systematic Identification of Duplicate Entries
The exercise involved a meticulous review of Election Commission of India (ECI) records, where discrepancies were systematically corrected. ECI officials shared the names of duplicate voters from several constituencies, enabling local election officers to cross-verify entries based on name, photograph, and age in the official voter lists.
Deputy Commissioner GM Gangadharaswamy provided detailed insights into the scale of the issue. "On average, each assembly constituency in Davanagere had approximately 8,000 duplicate voters," he revealed. He further explained that in many cases, a single individual's name appeared in the voter lists of two or even three different constituencies.
Legal Warnings and Voter Options
Gangadharaswamy issued a stern warning regarding the legal implications of such duplications. "Voting in multiple constituencies constitutes a criminal offense and can lead to serious legal action," he emphasized. To address this, identified duplicate voters have been given the option to retain their name in only one constituency of their choice, thereby regularizing their electoral status.
The Deputy Commissioner clarified the current phase of operations. "The comprehensive revision of the voter list (SIR) has not yet commenced. We are only in the preliminary activity stage," he stated, aiming to dispel any premature concerns about the process.
Addressing Public Misconceptions and Ensuring Transparency
In response to circulating rumors, Gangadharaswamy made a clear appeal to the public. "No voter will be arbitrarily excluded from the list except for the names of deceased individuals. Some parties are spreading misconceptions, and we urge citizens not to pay attention to such propaganda," he asserted.
He reassured voters that no names would be dropped suddenly without due process. "If any confusion arises, individuals will have the opportunity to retain their names by submitting the necessary documents," he added, highlighting the administration's commitment to fairness.
Ongoing Verification and Future Steps
Polling officers are currently engaged in verifying consistency between the 2002 and 2025 voter lists. Additionally, the administration has instructed voters under 40 years of age to provide their parents' voter slips for accurate family mapping, a step aimed at enhancing the demographic accuracy of the electoral roll.
Gangadharaswamy concluded with a practical advisory for the electorate. "Since it becomes challenging to provide additional information once the election process is formally announced, we appeal to voters to remain vigilant and verify that their names correctly appear on the voters' list. There is no need for panic; cooperation with officials is key," he advised.
This proactive initiative in Davanagere district underscores the Election Commission's ongoing efforts to maintain a clean and reliable voter database, crucial for the democratic process in the region.
