CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Mumbai. The role and powers of local officials in the electoral process have come into sharper focus in Maharashtra over the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of the voter list. Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S. Chokalingam sent a letter to senior officials of the Election Commission on September 24, requesting several changes in the ECINet system. He said the changes would help Electoral Registration Officers use the discretionary powers available to them under the law.
The letter sought changes in the procedure for cases marked in ECINet as “logical discrepancies”. These may include differences in names, ages or family details between old and new voter records. The Chief Electoral Officer suggested that Electoral Registration Officers be given the flexibility to decide in which cases a personal hearing is necessary and in which cases a decision can be taken on the basis of available documents.
He also requested an option to exempt senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups from hearings, and to allow acceptance of valid documents other than those on the prescribed list. In addition, he suggested that some cases be disposed of at the local level without being sent to the District Election Officer, and that the process for uploading documents related to the final revision list be made more flexible.
Following this, the Election Commission decided to simplify the process for people who receive notices under the SIR. In such cases, booth-level officers can now visit voters’ homes, collect documents and upload them on ECINet. Under normal circumstances, voters will not need to be called for a personal hearing, and where required, hearings will be arranged online. The Commission has also decided to constitute a committee to review the ECINet system.
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