Mangaluru: As many as 15.98 lakh voters, accounting for 88.56% of the district’s total electorate of 18.05 lakh, have been mapped under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer H. V. Darshan said on Thursday.
Addressing reporters, Mr. Darshan stated that 15,98,723 out of 18,05,189 registered voters across the district’s eight Assembly constituencies have been successfully mapped so far. However, 2,06,466 electors remain unmapped due to various reasons, including difficulties faced by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in contacting voters and the non-submission of details regarding their inclusion in the 2002 electoral roll.
House-to-house verification from June 30
As part of the next phase of the revision exercise, BLOs will conduct house visits between June 30 and July 29 to distribute two copies of enumeration slips to voters. The slips will be provided to both mapped and unmapped electors.
Voters will be required to fill in the details, submit one copy to the BLO and retain the second copy for their records. According to Mr. Darshan, BLOs will make up to three attempts to visit each household and collect the completed forms.
The district administration has urged voters to cooperate fully with election officials to ensure accurate and updated electoral records ahead of the publication of the revised voters’ list.
Political parties urged to assist
Mr. Darshan appealed to political parties to actively involve their Booth Level Assistants (BLAs) in supporting BLOs during the exercise. He said coordination between election officials and political party representatives would help improve outreach and ensure that all eligible voters are covered.
A total of 1,876 BLOs, 206 BLO Supervisors, 10 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers and eight Electoral Registration Officers have been assigned responsibilities for the Special Intensive Revision process across the district.
Election authorities believe the extensive manpower deployment will help complete the exercise efficiently and improve voter registration accuracy.
Documents required for verification
The District Electoral Officer clarified that voters who have already mentioned details of their names appearing in the 2002 electoral roll while filling out the enumeration form will not be required to submit any supporting documents.
However, voters who are unable to provide such details must submit a valid supporting document along with the enumeration form. Acceptable documents include a birth certificate, passport or any one of the 11 documents approved by the Election Commission for verification purposes.
To make the process more convenient, voter facilitation centres have been established at all polling stations. These centres will assist electors in filling out and submitting their enumeration forms.
Mr. Darshan also announced that an online facility for submitting enumeration forms will be launched shortly, allowing voters to complete the process digitally without visiting designated centres.
Key dates announced for electoral roll revision
The district administration has released the timeline for the remaining stages of the revision process.
The draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, providing voters with an opportunity to verify their details. Electors can submit claims and objections between August 5 and September 4 if they notice any discrepancies or omissions.
The process of hearing and disposing of claims and objections will take place from August 5 to October 3. Following the completion of this stage, the final electoral roll will be published on October 7.
Officials have emphasised that the revision exercise is aimed at maintaining an accurate and transparent electoral database while ensuring that all eligible voters are included in the electoral roll.
Ensuring comprehensive voter coverage
The Special Intensive Revision is a crucial exercise in strengthening electoral integrity and ensuring that voter records remain up to date. With nearly 89% of electors already mapped, district authorities are focusing on reaching the remaining voters through extensive field verification and public cooperation.
The administration has encouraged residents to promptly submit the required forms and documents when contacted by BLOs. Successful completion of the exercise will help ensure a comprehensive and accurate electoral roll ahead of future elections in the district.