Concerns persist over SIR despite low number of omissions post hearing, say parties

Major governmental parties person stated that concerns implicit the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of elector rolls inactive persist, adjacent though lone a small implicit 3,000 voters successful the territory person been recovered ineligible for inclusion successful the last database during the proceeding and verification phase, which concluded connected Saturday (February 14). A wide representation of the full workout volition look lone with the work of the last list, scheduled for February 21, the Congress and the CPI(M) argued, portion the BJP expressed restitution with the ongoing process.

Of the 4,06,366 voters subjected to verification, territory predetermination officials person retained astir each but 3,058 arsenic of February 12. Meanwhile, the presumption of 3,22,422 voters successful the territory who were included successful the ASD (absentees, shifted and dead) class during the enumeration signifier and removed from the draught rolls remains unclear.

Aggrieved persons who were included successful the ASD database were allowed to record their claims successful Form 6 until January 30, and these claims are inactive being processed.

“The existent question concerns those who were placed connected the ASD list. We inactive fishy that deliberate deletion with governmental motives whitethorn person occurred during the enumeration phase. Only the last database volition uncover whether the voting rights of those included successful the ASD class without valid reasons person been restored,” District Congress Committee president Muhammad Shiyas said.

Mohammed Shah, caput of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), echoed the concerns. “Only the last database volition uncover whether those marked arsenic shifted from a constituency during the enumeration signifier person been included successful the voters’ database of the constituency wherever they presently reside. Ideally, the quality successful the fig of voters betwixt the pre-SIR database and the revised 1 should beryllium astir 5%. If determination is simply a monolithic difference, we volition research options to situation it,” Mr. Shah said.

CPI(M) territory caput S. Sathish said that doubts implicit the process remained. “We are cross-examining the information earlier and aft the enumeration and proceeding phases astatine the booth level,” helium said.

The BJP, which has supported the SIR from the beginning, said it did not judge determination was immoderate governmental involution astatine immoderate signifier of the process. “The verification was conducted successful a precise relaxed mode successful the State with the purpose of retaining each eligible voters connected the list. The BJP has not challenged immoderate rightful assertion during the hearing,” K.S. Shyju, BJP territory president (Ernakulam city), said.