Chennai, Dec 30 (IANS) As preparations intensify for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has begun the process of issuing notices to over 12 lakh voters across the state, seeking additional documents to verify their eligibility.

The move is part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision(SIR) of the electoral rolls aimed at ensuring accuracy and transparency.

According to officials, the draft electoral roll was published on December 19 after the completion of the enumeration and verification process.

During this exercise, the names of around 97.37 lakh voters were removed from the rolls, including those who were deceased, had shifted their residence, or were found to be duplicate entries.

Following the publication of the draft roll, the Election Commission has initiated the process of issuing notices to voters whose details require further verification.

A total of 12,43,363 voters across the state will receive notices seeking additional documentation to confirm their eligibility.

Out of them, Chennai district accounts for the highest number, with 2,37,619 voters receiving notices, followed by Tiruvallur with 1,85,987 and Chengalpattu with 63,373.

In Kancheepuram, 56,479 voters will receive notices, while 53,146 notices will be issued in Tiruchirappalli.

Around 46,000 notices each will be sent in Cuddalore and Erode districts.

Election officials stated that every notice issued will carry a unique identification number to ensure transparency and effective monitoring of the verification process.

Once a notice is served, details of the acknowledgement will be uploaded to the Booth Level Officer (BLO) application to enable real-time tracking. Voters who receive notices are required to appear before the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer on the specified date and submit any one of 13 prescribed documents. These include a birth certificate, educational certificate, permanent residence certificate, passport, or other officially accepted identity documents.

The submitted records will be verified by the Electoral Registration Officer or the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer before passing a final order in each case.

The Election Commission has stated that the process of issuing notices and verifying documents will continue until February 10. The final electoral roll will be published on February 17 after completing all verifications.

Meanwhile, applications for inclusion, deletion, or correction in the voter list will continue to be accepted until February 18.

The Commission also revealed that 7,28,432 applications have already been received through special camps and online platforms, reflecting significant public participation in the ongoing revision process.

–IANS

aal/vd