New Delhi /Patna : The Election Commission of India (ECI) today issued instructions for holding Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the State of Bihar as per the guidelines and schedule specified by the Commission. The objective of an intensified revision is to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included in the Electoral Roll (ER) so as to enable them to exercise their franchise, no ineligible voter is included in the electoral rolls and also to introduce complete transparency in the process of addition or deletion of electors in the electoral rolls. The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted by the Commission in the year 2003.

Various reasons such as rapid urbanization, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants have necessitated the conduct of an intensive revision so as to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls. The Booth Level Officers (BLOs) shall be conducting house-to- house survey for verification during the process of this intensive revision.

While conducting the special revision, the ECI shall be scrupulously adhering to the Constitutional and legal provisions regarding eligibility to be registered as a voter and disqualifications for registration in an electoral roll which are clearly laid down in Article 326 of the Constitution of India and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 respectively.

In accordance with Section 23 of the Representation of People Act 1950, the eligibility conditions to enrol as an elector were already being verified by the ERO to his satisfaction. Now, to ensure complete transparency, it would be necessary that the documents on the basis of which such satisfaction of ERO is arrived at, are also uploaded in ECINET as the current level of technology enables so. However, these documents shall be accessible to authorized election officials only keeping in view the privacy issues. In case of any claims and objections raised by any political party or an elector, the AERO would inquire into the same before EROs satisfaction is arrived at. Under Section 24 of the Act, an appeal against the order of ERO can also be made to the District Magistrate and the Chief Electoral Officer.

CEO/DEOs/EROs/BLOs have been directed to take care that genuine electors, particularly old, sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), poor and other vulnerable groups are not harassed and are facilitated to the extent possible, including through deployment of volunteers.

While all efforts shall be made by the Election Commission of India that the revision process is carried out in a smooth manner causing minimum inconvenience to the electors, ECI shall be seeking active involvement of all political parties in the process by appointing their Booth Level Agents (BLAs) in all polling booths. The active participation of BLAs would ensure that discrepancies, if any, are resolved at the preparation stage itself, thereby reducing the instances of filing claims, objections and appeals. It may be underscored that both, the electors and the political parties, are the most .

How?

• • EROs to print pre-filled Enumeration Form (EF) for all

existing electors as on the date of the order and give it to BLOs

• • BLOs to distribute EFs to all existing electors through

House-to-House visit

• • EF will be available on the ECI website/ECINET which can be downloaded by an elector whose name is in the electoral roll as on the date of the order
  • BLAs appointed by all recognised National & State political parties

to be associated in the entire process

• • BLOs to guide the public on filling up of EF
  • CEO/DEOs/EROs/BLOs would take care that genuine electors, particularly old, sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), poor and other vulnerable groups are not harassed and are facilitated to the extent possible, including through deployment of volunteers.
  • BLOs to collect EFs from the public along with required documents
  • Alternatively, existing elector can also upload the EF and

documents online

• • BLO Supervisor to check the BLO’s qualitative & quantitative output
  • Draft Electoral Roll to be prepared of all electors whose EF have

been received

• • Copies of the Draft Electoral Roll to be shared with all recognised

National & State political parties & also put on ECI/CEO website

• • Claims & objections for any addition/deletion of names can be filed by

any elector or by any political party

• • AERO will inquire into any complaint on the exclusion of any eligible persons or inclusion of any ineligible persons
  • After decision on claims & objections, the Final Electoral Roll will be

published by the ERO

• • Copies of the Final Electoral Roll to be shared with all recognised National & State political parties & also put on ECI/CEO website
  • Under Section 24 of the Act, an appeal against the order of ERO can also be made to the District Magistrate and the second appeal to the Chief Electoral Officer.