New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that Phase 2 of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter records will be fully paperless. This is a big step toward a more digitized and user-friendly system. Officials added that the update is based on what they learned from the first pilot operation in Bihar.
On Monday, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced the start of SIR Phase 2. He said that voters will now be able to send in their information and documents online, without having to send in any physical documentation throughout the enumeration process.
Kumar added, “If a voter’s name doesn’t match between the old and new lists within a month of filling out the enumeration form, they will only need to send in one of twelve documents: the eleven used during the Bihar SIR, plus Aadhaar.”
In the past, voters had to send in one of eleven identity documents along with their enumeration forms during the Bihar rollout. Aadhaar is now the twelfth approved document, which is one of several changes that make the procedure easier in this new phase.
The process of mapping and checking
The CEC said that mapping between the old and new electoral rolls has already found the names of about 60–70% of voters. People can also check their registration information on the official website of the Election Commission.
Only voters whose names or their parents’ names are not on either list will need to fill out more paperwork to be added. Voters can now scan and upload documents directly from home utilizing a digital interface that was added for SIR 2.0. This makes the process easier.
No SIR in Assam; a different process is planned.
Kumar made it clear that SIR 2.0 will not be held in Assam next year because of the state’s unique citizenship criteria.
He remarked, “A different date will be set for the revision of Assam’s voter rolls.”
Focus on cutting down on duplication
One of the biggest problems during the Bihar SIR was having duplicate voter records. The new phase, on the other hand, makes de-duplication software unnecessary because the updated system can find and delete duplicate items automatically while processing data.
The Election Commission has told voters not to send in more than one enumeration form. They say that any duplicates will be detected and could lead to action.
When NDTV asked about duplicate EPIC numbers, the CEC stated, “We ask people to only fill out the enumeration form from one place.” Those that fill out the form from two places may face consequences.
States Included in SIR Phase 2
The second phase of the statewide SIR rollout would encompass 12 states and Union Territories, including Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
The first phase took place in Bihar from June to July of this year, just before the state assembly elections.
The Election Commission wants to make it easier to verify voters, cut down on duplicates, and make electoral rolls more open across the country with these changes.