NEW DELHI: In response to mounting questions and scrutiny over its execution, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has conducted a comprehensive review of a series of crucial decisions announced last week, primarily concerning the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

According to sources, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alongside Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, sat down for a high-level review meeting to evaluate the implementation of these measures.

Major Relief for Voters: No Mandatory Hearings

Addressing public grievances and administrative hurdles surrounding the execution of the SIR exercise, the poll authority has introduced a significant relaxation. Citizens will no longer be mandated to appear in person for physical hearings before poll officials solely to clear out minor discrepancies found in their SIR forms.

Furthermore, in states where the Special Intensive Revision has already reached completion, the online version of Form 6 meant for new voter registrations will see a modification. It will no longer feature the controversial declaration form seeking detailed information about parents from the previous poll roll revision. The poll panel had already withdrawn this specific declaration form from "non-SIR" states.

Timeline Extended for Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya

In addition to streamlining documentation and verification procedures, the Commission announced extensions to the revision schedules in specific states. The timeline for the SIR process has been extended in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya, with final voter lists now scheduled for publication on October 16 and October 26, respectively. Previously, these dates were set for October 9 for Andhra Pradesh and October 21 for Meghalaya.

Internal Consensus and Background

The review comes in the wake of internal discussions following reports of operational objections raised by Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi regarding software efficiency and sudden adjustments to voter-enrolment forms. However, following a full commission meeting, the poll panel strongly asserted that all orders and structural modifications related to the SIR exercise carry the unanimous approval of all three commissioners.

The Election Commission continues to fine-tune its administrative framework to ensure the electoral roll revision remains transparent, smooth, and accessible to citizens across the country.