The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday said 88 of 97 voters whose names were left out of the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Goa have either submitted Form 6 applications for inclusion or had their applications accepted. The Commission said 81 of the 97 voters had already filed Form 6, while further action was underway for the remaining cases.

Of the nine voters who had not applied, three were found to hold Portuguese passports, while six are currently residing outside India, according to the ECI. The Chief Electoral Officer of Goa said officials were making efforts to establish contact with the six voters living abroad and maintain communication with them for further necessary action.

The Goa CEO has also directed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to conduct house-to-house visits to voters whose names were left out of the electoral roll and collect their applications. The ECI had earlier said BLOs would visit electors who received notices during the ongoing SIR because their records were unmapped or contained logical discrepancies. The Commission said hearings could be held online in exceptional circumstances if decided by the Electoral Registration Officer.

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The ECI also directed District Election Officers to establish adequate help desks and organise special camps for groups including people living in night shelters, labourers, poor people and homeless persons. It said an adult family member could be authorised to attend a hearing on behalf of an elector when necessary. The Commission added that the declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR had been upheld by the Supreme Court, while forms under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, would continue to be used during non-SIR periods.

The Commission further said a committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT would review the ECINet system for compliance with electoral laws and rules. According to the ECI, SIR has been completed in 20 States and Union Territories, including Bihar and West Bengal.

The ECI said voters whose names were left out during the SIR process or subsequently, including young and first-time voters, can seek inclusion in the electoral rolls through the continuous updation process. Chief Electoral Officers have been instructed to facilitate enrolment and conduct special drives to ensure eligible voters can apply for inclusion in the rolls.

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