More than 1.5 crore names deleted in third phase of SIR so far
More than 1.5 crore names have been deleted so far from the existing voter lists in the ongoing third phase of the special intensive revision
More than 1.5 crore names have been deleted so far from the existing voter lists in the ongoing third phase of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission. Also Read: SC upholds SIR, says it is in consonance with Representation of the People Act: highlights The States and Union Territories where the third phase of SIR is being carried out are Delhi, Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Telangana, Punjab, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Tripura, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Of the 16 States and three UTs in which ‘SIR 3.0’ is being conducted, draft lists have been published for 12.
Extended in some States The enumeration or door-to-door verification phase has been extended in the States of Delhi, Punjab, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and thus their draft lists along with those of Tripura and Nagaland are yet to be published. The total voters in the 12 States where draft lists have been published were 13,77,27,807 out of which 1,58,59,834 (11.51%) stand deleted on account of absent/shifted/dead voters, according to analysis of data shared by the Election Commission. The numbers in the final voter lists could increase though as the EC provides a window for people to submit claims and objections for additions and deletions from the draft as well as registration of new voters. Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu has the highest proportion of deletions at 29.64% followed by Arunachal Pradesh (19.09%), Haryana (16.38%) and Chandigarh (12.8%).
Mizoram has the least proportion of deletions at 5.2%. In absolute numbers, Andhra Pradesh has the highest deletions at 44.89 lakh followed by Haryana (33.83 lakh) and Odisha (20.12 lakh). Sikkim has the least deletions at 37,724 (8%) followed by Mizoram at 46,162. In Odisha, 6.02% have been deleted, Manipur 7.5%, Uttarakhand 10.39%, Chandigarh 12.8%, Meghalaya 7.67%, and Jharkhand 16.48%. In Andhra Pradesh, which has the highest deletion in absolute numbers, 44.89 lakh (10.78%) names have been deleted with the draft now shrinking to 3.71 crore from 4.16 crore electors. Among the deletions, 22.30 lakh accounted for shifting or being absent at the address while 15.22 lakh were reported dead and 7.37 lakh were enrolled at multiple places.
The SIR exercise has already been conducted in Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. In Assam, due to legalities of the Register of Citizens (NRC), a “special revision” was conducted. The process has triggered acrimony between the Opposition and the Election Commission, and has been challenged in courts as well. In March, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutional validity of the EC’s move to carry out SIR.
The BriefWire