Mumbai, April 2 (IANS) The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday said that since no elections are scheduled in the state for the next few years, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) should have a timeline of 1.5 to 2 years to ensure accuracy.
A delegation led by MPCC president Harshwardhan Sapkal highlighted that the previous SIR process in 2002–04 lasted 13 months. Given that the voter base has grown by 3.5 crore over the last 25 years, the Congress urged the Election Commission not to rush the process within 2-3 months.
The delegation expressed fear of potential “chaos and distrust” witnessed in other states and urged the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to ensure a transparent and fair process in the state.
The Congress party opposed appointing the same officials for both the Census work and the SIR process, stating it would be unjust to both staff and the public.
They demanded written accountability for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) who delete names without legal notice, calling for strict disciplinary action against such lapses.
Citing the infamous “Chilume Scam” in Karnataka and irregularities in West Bengal, the memorandum warned against “fake BLOs” collecting sensitive data. The party noted instances where unauthorised individuals filed bulk applications to delete names of living or resident voters by falsely claiming they were deceased or had migrated.
The Congress party insisted that no name be deleted without a 7-day notice and a physical visit by the Booth Level Officer (BLO). They also proposed mandatory photo geo-tagging during house visits as proof of verification.
The memorandum expressed alarm over reports from other states where millions of eligible voters from Scheduled Castes, Tribes, and Minority communities were allegedly targeted for removal from final lists.
The Congress party requested special training and meetings for leaders of these communities to explain the SIR process. They also urged the Election Commission to ensure that unorganised workers, such as sugarcane cutters and construction labourers who migrate seasonally, are not disenfranchised.
The Congress party requested that voter lists be provided in both OCR/machine-readable and hard-copy formats.
They further demanded a one-month window for citizens to file objections or respond to notices and the preservation of SIR data for at least five years at the district level. They also sought a halt to online registration once elections are officially announced to prevent “bogus” entries.
“The credibility of upcoming elections depends entirely on a ‘pure’ and ‘accurate’ voter list,” the memorandum stated.
The party hoped that the CEO’s office would act impartially to protect the constitutional rights of every citizen. The memorandum was signed by several high-ranking leaders, including Harshwardhan Sapkal, Congress Legislative Party Leader Vijay Wadettiwar, and former minister Arif Naseem Khan.
--IANS
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