File image of SIR exercise in India (Photo: PTI)
Shillong, July 31: Nearly 1.8 lakh electors in Meghalaya have been identified as absent, shifted, deceased or duplicate (ASDD) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, a senior election official said on Thursday.
The house-to-house (H2H) visit by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) started on June 30 and continued till July 29 during which they distributed enumeration forms to all eligible voters for SIR of electoral rolls in Meghalaya.
"As part of the verification process, 1,80,404 electors (7.68 percent) were identified as absent, shifted, deceased or duplicate," Chief Electoral Officer BDR Tiwari told this news agency.
"The category comprises 81,490 deceased electors, 45,013 who did not return their enumeration forms, 42,532 who had permanently shifted, 4,668 who declined to submit the forms and 6,701 duplicate enrolments," he said.
With the completion of the house-to-house enumeration, Meghalaya has achieved 100 per cent coverage under the SIR, with all 23,49,645 electors having submitted their enumeration forms through physical or digital modes," an official statement said.
According to the CEO's Office, 7,75,337 electors (33 per cent) were directly mapped to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2005 database, while 11,69,670 electors (49.78 per cent) were mapped as progeny by linking their records with those of their parents or guardians in the 2005 database.
A total of 2,24,234 electors (9.54 per cent) could not be linked with the 2005 database and have been placed in the 'No Mapping' category.
"These cases will be verified during the notice phase, including the claims and objections period from August 5 to September 3 before any decision is taken regarding their electoral status," the statement said.
The CEO thanked political parties for their cooperation, saying the support of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by them had "contributed significantly to ensuring transparency, public participation and the successful implementation of the SIR".
He also expressed gratitude to election officials, village authorities, Nokmas, community leaders, civil society organisations, the media and the people of Meghalaya for their support in successfully completing the exercise.
The Election Department will now focus on verifying electors in the 'No Mapping' and ASDD categories before the publication of the draft electoral roll on August 5, as scheduled by the Election Commission of India. -
PTI