The Special Intensive Revision kicked off with a draft list on December 19, following rigorous field verifications by booth-level agents. Public participation surged, with 34 lakh forms submitted via digital platforms and district camps by the January 30 deadline. These included first-time voters, those shifting residences, and requests for photo or detail tweaks.

Notably, 12 lakh entries flagged for scrutiny prompted notices demanding proof of identity and eligibility. Intensified probes and document drives aim to clear these before the deadline lapses tonight.

Election authorities emphasize speed and accuracy: ‘We’re accelerating verifications to include only verified voters in the final publication.’ This comprehensive overhaul strengthens the democratic process, minimizing errors for future elections.

Once published, citizens must verify their status promptly. Tamil Nadu’s voter list revision underscores the ECI’s commitment to electoral integrity, setting a robust stage for polls ahead.

The controversy centers on the acceptance of secondary admit cards for age verification—a document validated, revoked, and now restored per Supreme Court directive. ‘These U-turns are bewildering voters, forcing endless document resubmissions,’ Ghosh explained.

Drawing from ground reports, he cited a booth issuing notices to 350 individuals, exceeding BJP’s own vote tally there by a margin. ‘No need to panic; precedents exist. But such discrepancies breed doubt,’ he stated.

Ghosh directly countered TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, asserting BJP’s commitment to a foolproof voter list featuring only legitimate citizens. ‘Remove the undocumented, but spare the common man any hassle,’ he demanded, while accusing TMC of deliberate interference.

Violence mars the process too, with assaults on BLOs, BJP activists, and complainants. ‘This anarchy questions the very feasibility of democratic elections,’ Ghosh lamented.

He praised the Election Commission’s proactive role in upholding electoral integrity. With voter verification intensifying, Ghosh’s remarks underscore deepening political divides in the state, setting the stage for heated confrontations.

Electoral rolls in these 12 regions will be frozen tonight, with voters set to receive unique enumeration forms for data verification. Key states included in this second phase are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Goa, and Gujarat, alongside the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar, and Lakshadweep. These areas collectively account for approximately 51 crore voters and a significant number of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies.

Political parties will be briefed on the SIR process by Chief Electoral Officers and District Electoral Officers within the next two days. Training for polling officials is slated to begin tomorrow. Addressing concerns about migrated voters, the commission has introduced an online submission option for enumeration forms. This extensive voter roll revision, the ninth of its kind since India’s independence, underscores the EC’s commitment to transparent and accurate elections.

The draft voter list, released by the Election Commission on August 1, includes the names of a total of 7.24 crore voters. To prove their eligibility, all these voters are required to submit one of the 11 documents specified by the Election Commission by September 1. The Election Commission stated in an official statement on Sunday that 98.2% of voters have submitted the necessary documents so far. Sources indicate that from this week, EROs are sending notices to voters who have either not submitted any documents, provided incorrect documents, or whose citizenship and eligibility are in question.

The commission also refuted allegations of vote theft made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Gyanesh Kumar asserted that all political parties are treated equally by the Election Commission, which does not discriminate against anyone. He explained that every political party is born through registration with the Election Commission, so the commission cannot discriminate. For the Election Commission, there is no ruling party or opposition; all are equal. The commission also affirmed that it will not shy away from its duties, noting that all parties have requested improvements in the voter list. It stated that the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) in Bihar was conducted due to these demands. The commission noted that there are still 15 days left for name corrections in Bihar and that political parties should provide the commission with information about any discrepancies in the voter list.

The EC’s directive, issued on June 24, mandates that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), District Election Officers (DEO), and Electoral Registration Officers (ERO) make hard copies of the 2003 electoral rolls available to all Booth Level Officers (BLOs). These lists have also been made public online to allow people to download them and use them as documentary evidence when submitting enumeration forms.

This step is considered crucial under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign currently underway in Bihar. According to the Commission, around 60% of voters will not need to submit documents. They will only have to verify their names and details in the 2003 list and fill out the enumeration form. This will streamline the process for both voters and BLOs, making it faster.

Furthermore, those whose names are not in the 2003 list can use the relevant sections of the same list to prove their parents’ names. In such cases, separate documents for parents will not be required. These voters will only need to submit their personal documents along with the enumeration form.

The revision is essential as the voter list is a dynamic document, undergoing continuous updates due to deaths, relocation, and the addition of new voters. Under Article 326 of the Constitution, Indian citizens aged 18 years or older, who are ordinary residents of the relevant constituency, are eligible to become voters.