SHILLONG : After a gap of over two decades, Meghalaya is preparing for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of its electoral rolls. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr. BDR Tiwari announced on Tuesday that the state’s election machinery is fully prepared and awaiting the official schedule from the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“Everything is up to the ECI. Whenever the schedule for Meghalaya is announced, we will go ahead with it,” Tiwari told reporters, emphasizing that SIR is a routine but mandatory exercise already completed in states like Bihar.
The Lineage Verification Process
The SIR process involves a comprehensive verification of the voter list. Unlike standard revisions, applicants and existing voters will be required to establish their lineage to ensure the integrity of the rolls.
- Establishing Ancestry: New applicants (18+) and existing voters must provide records of parents or grandparents who were previously registered voters.
- Key Cut-off Dates: Under the Indian Citizenship Act, July 1, 1987, remains a primary marker. For Meghalaya, the 2005 SIR (with a December 2004 deadline) will serve as the baseline for lineage verification.
- Documentation: Proof of identity and ancestry records must be submitted as per the ECI’s approved list of certificates.
State Readiness and Verification Progress
Despite the complexity of the task, Dr. Tiwari revealed that preliminary “table-top” exercises have shown promising results.
- 80% Verified: Using the 2005 SIR records, approximately 80% of names in the current rolls have already been cross-verified.
- Manpower: All Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Supervisors, EROs, and AROs are in place to begin the ground exercise.
Political Participation and Transparency
Addressing concerns regarding the fairness of the exercise, the CEO dismissed allegations that the SIR targets specific communities. “Everything happens in a transparent, free, and fair manner across the country,” he stated.
However, he noted a lack of proactiveness from local political parties in appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to oversee the process, urging them to participate to further ensure transparency.