Meghalaya: Over 2.24 lakh voters face scrutiny during SIR process
Shillong, July 30
More than 2.24 lakh voters in Meghalaya will undergo detailed scrutiny after their electoral records could not be linked to the 2005 electoral database during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, officials said on Thursday.
Announcing the completion of the first phase of the SIR-2026 exercise, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said the statewide house-to-house enumeration has successfully covered all 23,49,645 registered electors.
According to the department, Enumeration Forms were distributed to every elector and all the forms have been digitised, marking the successful completion of the initial stage of the revision process.
Analysis of the digitised data, however, showed that 2,24,234 electors, accounting for 9.54 per cent of the state's electorate, could not be matched with the 2005 electoral database. These voters have been placed under the "No Mapping" category. They will now be subjected to detailed verification during the claims and objections period scheduled from August 5 to October 3 before any decision is taken regarding their inclusion in the final electoral roll.
The department said 7,75,337 electors (33 per cent) were successfully verified under the "Self" category by matching their own records with the 2005 database. In addition, 11,69,670 electors (49.78 per cent) were linked under the "Progeny" category through the electoral records of their parents or grandparents available in the 2005 rolls.
The verification exercise also identified 1,80,404 electors (7.68 per cent) under the Absent, Shifted, Deceased and Duplicate (ASDD) category. According to the Election Department, the ASDD list comprises 81,490 deceased electors, 45,013 voters whose Enumeration Forms were not returned, 42,532 permanently shifted electors, 4,668 refusals, and 6,701 duplicate entries.
Officials said the next phase of the Special Intensive Revision will focus on physical verification of both the "No Mapping" and ASDD categories before the publication of the draft electoral roll on August 5, in line with the schedule prescribed by the Election Commission of India.
The Chief Electoral Officer thanked recognised political parties, Booth Level Agents (BLAs), election officials, community leaders, and citizens for their cooperation in completing the statewide enumeration exercise, reiterating the department's commitment to preparing an accurate, transparent, and inclusive electoral roll.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone from Shillong, I appreciate this transparency. The ASDD category with 81,490 deceased voters is concerning - many families don't report deaths promptly. Also, 6,701 duplicates show our system needs more checks. Good that the CEO is involving BLAs and community leaders.
Impressive that 33% matched under "Self" and nearly 50% under "Progeny" category. That shows many families have maintained their electoral records across generations. But why link to 2005 database? What about voters who turned 18 after 2005? 🤔
This SIR exercise is long overdue. In Meghalaya's hilly terrain, house-to-house enumeration must have been challenging. Salute to the election officials who went door-to-door. But hope the "No Mapping" voters don't get disenfranchised unfairly - some may have moved within state or had name changes after marriage.
The 45,013 voters whose forms weren't returned is alarming. In a state like Meghalaya with many remote villages, could be logistical issues. But also possible some people deliberately avoided enumeration. The verification period should include special drives for hard-to-reach areas.
Honest observation - while this is a good step, I'm skeptical about the "Progeny" category linking. What about adopted children or orphans? Also, 4,668 refusals is concerning - are people refusing due to political pressure or fear? The Election Commission should investigate those refusals specifically.
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