SIR Exercise Brings Over 73 Lakh Voter Deletions in Gujarat; Objections Open Until Jan 18
Massive deletions in draft electoral roll after SIR.
Gujarat's Election Commission took a decisive step on Friday by officially publishing the first draft of the revised electoral roll subsequent to the rigorous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise mandated by the Election Commission of India. This publication has brought to light a profound restructuring of the voter database, resulting in the systematic elimination of over 73 lakh entries, significantly altering the state's electoral landscape ahead of future polls.
State Chief Electoral Officer Hareet Shukla provided precise figures, stating that the electorate has been substantially pruned from an earlier total of 5,08,43,436 registered voters to the newly established count of 4,34,70,109. The exact number of deletions stands at 73,73,327, reflecting an extensive cleansing operation designed to eliminate inaccuracies, redundancies, and obsolete records that could potentially compromise the fairness and efficiency of electoral processes.
The removals were meticulously classified into distinct categories to ensure transparency and accountability in the revision process. These include 18,07,278 entries corresponding to deceased individuals, 9,69,662 cases of voters deemed absent due to lack of recent engagement, 40,25,553 instances where individuals have permanently relocated outside their registered constituencies, 3,81,470 duplicate enrolments across multiple locations, and a further 1,89,364 deletions falling under other administrative justifications, as outlined in the detailed release from the CEO's office.
Also Read: Gujarat Launches Regional Conferences for Inclusive Economic Growth
The SIR initiative in Gujarat was executed within a defined timeframe, commencing on November 4 and reaching its conclusion on December 14, during which booth-level officers and electoral staff conducted thorough on-ground verifications, cross-checks with civil records, and public consultations to authenticate the existing voter information and rectify longstanding discrepancies.
In line with established procedural safeguards, the Election Commission has opened a window for public scrutiny and redressal, allowing eligible citizens, affected parties, or stakeholders to lodge formal claims, additions, or objections concerning the draft electoral rolls with the relevant authorities until January 18. This phase is crucial for addressing any inadvertent omissions or errors before the final voter list is authenticated and notified for official use.
Also Read: SC Rejects Sanjiv Bhatt’s Plea to Suspend 20-Year Sentence in 1996 NDPS Fabrication Case
