A week after the Special Intensive Revision’s (SIR) enumeration phase started in 12 states and Union Territories, the Election Commission (EC) Wednesday said forms had been distributed to 72% of the 51 crore registered voters.
Announced on October 27, the EC exercise began from November 4 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
In a break from the practice of the past two decades, where electoral rolls were revised every year and before each Lok Sabha and Assembly election, the EC decided to prepare the rolls afresh this year, announcing the SIR on June 24.
All electors are required to fill enumeration forms and submit proof of their or their parents or other adult relatives who were registered as electors in the last intensive revision in their states, which took place in the early 2000s. The Booth Level Officers (BLO) are supposed to help trace the details for the electors in the old electoral rolls. Sources say the process of matching has started but is going slow. The focus is on 100% distribution of forms first, they said.
As per an EC statement, out of the 50.99 crore electors in the 12 states and UTs, 37.05 crore had been given the enumeration forms. The progress in the states and UTs ranged from 100% distribution in Lakshadweep to 49.55% in Kerala, the lowest, the EC statement showed. Distribution of forms in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal was 88.08%, 53.83%, 70.94%, 69.95% and 88.8%, respectively.
The enumeration phase is till December 4. The draft roll will be published on December 9.
