Election Commission Extends Voter List Cleanup Deadline in 12 States Amid BLO Pressure

Special intensive revision (SIR) exercise is being carried out in 12 states

New Delhi:

The Election Commission has extended the deadline for the voter list cleanup exercise special intensive revision (SIR) in 12 states and Union Territories by one week until February 14. This SIR issue is expected to cause a significant confrontation in parliament during the upcoming winter session beginning tomorrow.

In a three-page order issued today, the Election Commission granted poll officials an additional week to publish the draft list of voters. The enumeration period will now conclude on December 11, instead of the previously set December 4.

According to the fresh order, the draft voter list originally scheduled for release on December 9 will now be published on December 16, with the final list to be published on February 14.

Trinamool Congress leaders and other Opposition parties met with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi this week, urging the EC to reschedule the SIR exercise.

They requested better planning for the SIR exercise amid reports that booth level officers (BLOs) are facing immense pressure as they conduct door-to-door visits to complete this enormous task within a tight schedule.

Suicide deaths of BLOs have been reported from West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The Bengal election is scheduled for early next year.

The first stage of the three-level SIR exercise in Bengal is nearing completion. The EC has identified 18.70 lakh dead voters still present in the current voters' list as of November 29 evening.

The EC has increased its estimated number of voters likely to be removed from the draft list; the new estimate is approximately 35 lakh, according to news agency IANS.

This 35 lakh figure includes 18.70 lakh deceased voters plus duplicate voters, untraceable voters, and voters who have permanently relocated to different states.