Imphal/Aizawl/Gangtok, May 30 (IANS) Booth Level Officers (BLOs) on Saturday began house-to-house visits in Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim as part of the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, being conducted in a phased manner across the country, officials said.

Election officials in the three Northeastern states said that the month-long door-to-door exercise would continue till June 28.

Prior to the launch of the field exercise, adequate training was imparted to all BLOs at the district level during the first phase of preparations.

According to election officials, after completion of the house-to-house visits and other necessary formalities, the draft electoral rolls would be published in the three states on July 5.

As per the ECI guidelines, July 1 has been fixed as the qualifying date for the SIR in Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim.

Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Arun Kumar Sinha said that in the second phase of the exercise, a total of 2,956 BLOs would visit households and distribute partially filled Enumeration Forms, in duplicate, to all existing electors.

“Electors are requested to provide the last SIR information and details relating to themselves or their relatives in the Enumeration Form. One copy of the filled-up Enumeration Form should be retained by the elector,” Sinha told the media.

He clarified that no documents would be collected by the BLOs from electors during the enumeration phase.

The CEO further said that electors may also download the Enumeration Form and upload the duly filled form online through the ECI portal.

A statement issued by election authorities in Sikkim has said that the SIR exercise aims to ensure the inclusion of all eligible citizens in the electoral rolls, remove the names of deceased, shifted and duplicate electors, rectify errors in voter information, and maintain the accuracy and transparency of the electoral database.

“Political parties, through their Booth Level Agents (BLAs), are also participating in the exercise to promote transparency and wider public participation,” the statement said.

In Mizoram, ECI Secretary Binod Kumar earlier this week held a meeting with Aizawl District Election Officer (DEO), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), Supervisors and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to review preparations for the SIR exercise.

He had said that the exercise carries nationwide significance and that the ECI expects all officials involved to perform their responsibilities diligently, sincerely and transparently. He urged EROs and BLOs to thoroughly understand the rules and procedures governing the SIR and discharge their duties with utmost dedication.

The ECI Secretary also directed that Enumeration Forms be distributed within five days and extended his best wishes to all officials engaged in the exercise. During the meeting, he said that the objective was not only to assess preparedness and progress made so far for conducting the SIR, but also to address doubts, clarify procedural issues, understand challenges faced by officials and provide necessary guidance wherever required.

He also issued detailed instructions and guidelines regarding the official procedures for conducting the revision exercise.

Meanwhile, following the ECI’s announcement on May 14, seven Northeastern states have initiated preparations for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The Election Commission on May 14 announced the phased rollout of the SIR of electoral rolls across 16 states and three Union Territories. According to the poll panel, the Phase-III schedule of the SIR would be a major nationwide exercise aimed at enhancing the accuracy, inclusiveness and transparency of voter lists. The 16 states include seven of the eight Northeastern states — Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. Assam has already completed its Special Revision exercise, and the ECI, on February 10, published the final electoral rolls covering all its 126 Assembly constituencies, ahead of the elections in the state.

–IANS

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