SIR drive to begin in Odisha today with door-to-door verification
New Delhi, May 30
The Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls will commence in Odisha from Saturday, with Booth Level Officers launching a door-to-door verification across the state to distribute enumeration forms, assist residents in filling them out, and collect the completed forms.
Speaking to reporters, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R.S. Gopalan said on Friday that the house-to-house verification process beginning from May 30 will be completed by June 28. He said during the above period, the BLOs will visit the homes of electors in the morning and provide enumeration forms to each voter.
The forms will contain details related to the elector's personal information, family particulars, and information linked to the 2002 electoral roll. During the visits, BLOs will verify the information and correct minor discrepancies wherever necessary.
The CEO has instructed BLOs to remain vigilant to ensure that no eligible Indian voter is left out and that no ineligible person is included in the electoral roll.
Gopalan stated that the draft electoral roll will be published on July 5. The period for filing claims and objections has been fixed from July 5 to August 4.
Similarly, the disposal of claims and objections and the notice period will continue from July 5 to September 2, while the final electoral roll will be published on September 6, 2026.
The BLOs have also been directed to remain present at their respective polling booths between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. daily, so voters can also submit their forms directly at the booth. As many as 45,255 BLOs have been deployed across the state to conduct the SIR smoothly. They have also been imparted the necessary training for the exercise.
The CEO also revealed that, additionally, 33,000 Booth Level Agents have so far been appointed and are currently undergoing training. Help desks have also been activated to assist voters.
He said the voters who prefer a digital route can download the enumeration form directly from the Election Commission's website and upload the filled form online. For queries, residents can reach their local BLO through the dedicated BLO app.
Addressing concerns about logical discrepancies or errors and documentary proof, Gopalan clarified that most discrepancies in voter rolls - such as errors in name or age - are minor and can be resolved through a single-field inquiry.
"Actually, most of the logical errors are small, like discrepancy in age, discrepancy in name. These can be sorted out through just one Panchnama in a field inquiry. For serious errors, the voter may be asked to provide supporting evidence. Even if there is no supporting evidence, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) can decide. Absence of evidence does not mean that the voter is disqualified," said CEO Gopalan.
For voters currently away from their homes, the CEO confirmed that family members are authorised to collect the enumeration form on their behalf and sign it for them.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The timeline seems too tight - just one month for verification? In a state like Odisha with remote villages and hilly terrain, BLOs might struggle to reach everyone. Also, what about migrant workers who are currently back for the season? They should be included properly. Hope the app works smoothly.
As someone who worked in election management before, I must say these SIR drives are critical. The Panchnama system for minor errors is good - saves voters from running around for paperwork. But I worry about the 1.5 lakh polling stations and only 45,255 BLOs. That's a huge ratio. Let's hope technology helps them cover ground quickly.
Finally! Been waiting for this. Last time I checked, my name was misspelled in the voter list. The online form option is great - I'll definitely use that. But for so many elderly people in our villages, they still rely on BLOs coming home. Hope the training they gave is proper. My mother in Puri says last year the BLO never showed up. 🤞
The CEO's statement about "no supporting evidence" not disqualifying a voter is reassuring. But in practice, will ground-level officials actually follow this? Too many instances in past elections where people were denied voting because someone in the booth decided they didn't have the "right" documents. Need strict monitoring.
Interesting approach. In Western democracies, voter registration is often automated. But India's diverse population makes manual verification necessary. The family member signing for absent voters is pragmatic - many work in other states.
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