Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam has approached the Election Commission seeking greater discretion for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) handling cases at the notice stage of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The request aims to give local election officials more flexibility while examining voter records and documents, particularly where they are satisfied with the explanation and supporting evidence submitted by an elector.
“Exempted from Hearing” option proposed
One of the key proposals is to introduce an “Exempted from Hearing” option on the ECINET platform. It would allow EROs to waive a personal hearing when they find the documents submitted by a voter sufficient. The proposal could particularly help senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other voters who may find it difficult to attend hearings in person.
Flexibility on documents
Chockalingam has also sought clarity and flexibility on the documents that can be accepted during verification. He has pointed out that the documents listed in the notice should not necessarily be treated as an exhaustive list. According to the proposal, EROs could be allowed to consider other relevant documents if they are satisfied about their authenticity and relevance.
The move is significant because voters may not always possess the documents specified in the standard list, particularly in cases involving older electoral records.
More decision-making powers for local officers
Another proposal seeks to empower EROs to dispose of certain cases involving logical discrepancies when the evidence provided by the voter is found satisfactory. At present, such cases may require additional verification or escalation. Greater discretion at the ERO level could allow straightforward cases to be resolved locally and potentially reduce the administrative burden on the election machinery.
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Chockalingam has also raised a technical issue concerning ECINET. He has proposed that uploading extracts from previous SIR electoral rolls should not be mandatory in every case where a discrepancy has already been established through the system.
Demand for clear guidelines
The Maharashtra CEO has also sought detailed written instructions and FAQs for EROs handling the exercise. The request comes amid a large-scale verification process in the state, with election officials dealing with a significant number of voter records requiring clarification or documentation.
The proposed changes are essentially aimed at giving field-level officers greater operational flexibility, while ensuring voters are not put through unnecessary hearings or procedural hurdles when their records and documents can be verified satisfactorily.
The Election Commission will take a final view on the proposals and decide whether the requested changes to the SIR process and the ECINET system will be implemented in Maharashtra.
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