1.79 lakh voters found enrolled at multiple places in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Dec 23 (PTI) As many as 1,79,043 voters, accounting for about 1 per cent of the electorate in Chhattisgarh, were found registered at more than one location, as per findings of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

In a press note, the office of Chhattisgarh's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Tuesday released key findings of the enumeration phase (held from November 4 to December 18) of the SIR and draft electoral rolls updated at the end of the exercise.

Out of the 2,12,30,737 electors as on October 27 in the state, 1,84,95,920 (about 87 per cent) submitted their enumeration forms at the end of the rolls updation exercise on December 18, reflecting an overwhelming participation in the first phase of SIR, it said.

The door-to-door verification exercise revealed that 6,42,234 voters (3 per cent) had died, while another 19,13,540 electors (9 per cent) were found to have shifted their residence or were absent at their given address, it said.

Booth-Level Officer (BLOs) did not find these (shifted/absent) voters. They did not return enumeration forms because they have already become voters in another state/Union Territory, or they were not found present (at given address), or forms were not submitted by December 18, or for some reasons, they were not interested in registering as an elector, said the CEO office.

Also, 1,79,043 voters, or 1 per cent of the electors, were found registered at multiple times, according to the press note.

"The name of electors found enrolled at multiple locations in electoral rolls will be retained only at one place," the statement said.

However, (in case of deletion) genuine voters can be added back to electoral rolls during claims and objections period, which will be in force from December 23 to January 22, it said.

Electors can verify their names by contacting BLOs, using the ECINET mobile application, or visiting the website www.voters.eci.gov.in.

The notice phase, involving hearing and verification, will begin on December 23 and conclude on February 14. The final electoral rolls after completion of the SIR process will be published on February 21, it added.

The successful completion of the enumeration phase was the result of coordinated efforts of DEOs (district electoral officers) of 33 districts, 90 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 377 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), and 734 Additional Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AAEROs), and BLOs deployed at 24,371 polling booths, said the statement.

These officers were supported by 30,000-plus volunteers, it said.

Field representatives of all seven recognised political parties, including their district presidents, also actively participated in the updation exercise through 38,846 booth-level agents (BLAs) appointed by them, said the CEO's office.

The SIR first phase covered a dozen states and Union Territories. PTI TKP RSY