New Delhi/Daman, July 10 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday published the draft electoral roll for the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu after completing the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with more than 3.01 lakh electors submitting verification forms and a month-long window opening for claims and objections.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer, the Special Intensive Revision is being conducted to ensure that all eligible citizens are included in the electoral rolls while removing ineligible entries through a transparent verification process.
The exercise forms part of the nationwide Phase-III SIR programme announced by the ECI earlier this year.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that, out of 4,28,036 electors on the rolls as of June 4, 3,01,142 electors, or 70.35 per cent, submitted their Enumeration Forms by July 3.
The remaining records comprised 7,267 deceased electors (1.70 per cent), 19,771 permanently shifted electors (4.62 per cent), 96,199 untraceable or absent electors (22.47 per cent), 2,551 electors enrolled at multiple places (0.60 per cent) and 1,106 others (0.26 per cent).
The official said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were unable to obtain Enumeration Forms from some electors because they had registered in another state or Union Territory, were not found at their recorded address, did not submit the form before the deadline of July 3, or were unwilling to register as electors for other reasons.
The Election Commission said genuine electors whose names are not reflected in the draft roll can still seek inclusion during the claims and objections period from July 10 to August 9.
It also said that electors found to be registered at multiple locations would have their names retained at only one place.
The enumeration exercise covered all three districts of the Union Territory and involved two Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), seven Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), BLO Supervisors, Booth Level Officers and Assistant BLOs deployed across 464 polling stations.
“Representatives of four recognised political parties and two registered unrecognised political parties also participated in the process through 614 Booth Level Agents (BLAs),” officials noted.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer, officials carried out awareness campaigns and meetings with political parties during the enumeration period, while BLOs conducted house-to-house visits to distribute Enumeration Forms and made at least three follow-up visits to collect them.
BLAs were permitted to submit up to 50 Enumeration Forms per day to encourage wider participation.
The Commission said the draft electoral roll has been made available at the offices of the Chief Electoral Officer, District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers, through local BLOs, on the Chief Electoral Officer’s website, the ECINET mobile application and the ECI’s voter services portal.
Electors whose names are missing from the draft roll have been advised to submit Form 6, along with the prescribed declaration and supporting documents, for inclusion.
Applications for correction, deletion, transfer of residence and overseas voter registration can also be filed using the prescribed forms either through BLOs or online during the revision process.
Under the published schedule, the draft electoral roll was released on July 10; claims and objections will be accepted until August 9, scrutiny and disposal of claims will continue until September 7, and the final electoral roll will be published on September 11.
These dates are consistent with the ECI’s nationwide Special Intensive Revision programme for the Union Territory.
“Special initiatives during the revision included regular review meetings with district election officials, help desks, enrolment camps, digitisation support for BLOs, awareness campaigns through social media influencers, district media outreach and installation of public information banners across the Union Territory,” the CEO noted.
The office also said young citizens who have attained, or will attain, 18 years of age on or before July 1, 2026, are being encouraged to register as voters through Form 6.
Reiterating the safeguards built into the process, the Chief Electoral Officer said that under the SIR guidelines, no name can be deleted from the draft electoral roll without prior notice and a reasoned order issued by the ERO or AERO.
Electors aggrieved by any decision may appeal to the District Magistrate and subsequently to the Chief Electoral Officer under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
“The Commission reiterates its firm commitment to a transparent, participative and inclusive revision process, ensuring that no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible name remains in the Electoral Rolls,” the Chief Electoral Officer said.
–IANS
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