SIR: EC extends schedule in Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, final rolls now due Oct 16, Oct 26

The Election Commission of India has extended the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya. The final electoral rolls in the two states will now be published on October 16 and October 26 respectively.

In Andhra Pradesh, the final roll was earlier due on October 9 and is now scheduled for October 16. The notice phase and the disposal of claims and objections, which began on July 31, will continue until October 10.

In Meghalaya, the date for final publication has been moved from October 21 to October 26. The announcement did not specify a revised deadline for the disposal of claims and objections in the state.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Election Commission held at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi on September 30. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi attended the meeting.

The commission’s statement did not give reasons for extending the schedule in either state.

The extension comes days after the commission deferred the schedule for publishing final voter lists in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Telangana, Odisha, Haryana and Punjab. The reports on that deferral did not give new dates for those states.

The Special Intensive Revision is a process in which the Election Commission re-verifies electoral rolls, with voters filling in enumeration forms and discrepancies being flagged for further checks. During the claims and objections period, people can ask for names to be added to the draft roll or object to entries.

The SIR has become a political issue. On September 30, opposition INDIA bloc parties met to plan a joint agitation over alleged irregularities in the exercise and reiterated their demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The bloc has announced ‘Save Democracy’ marches in all districts from October 2 to 8 and a march to the Election Commission on October 6.

Election Commission of India voter helpline (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0