Rajasthan's Special Intensive Revision Exempts Over 70 Per Cent of Voters from Document Submission

In Rajasthan, over 70 per cent of voters are exempt from submitting documents during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, according to CEO Naveen Mahajan. This initiative aims to streamline the voter registration process and enhance participation.

In Rajasthan, nearly 70.55% of voters will not need to submit documents during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, according to Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan. This follows extensive voter mapping efforts by the Election Department, which learned from previous experiences in Bihar where document submission caused confusion.

Mahajan highlighted that over 70% of voters were already matched with voter lists from 2002 to 2005 when the SIR was announced. This percentage is expected to exceed 80% as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) begin collecting forms from homes. The state currently has 5.48 crore registered voters.

Voter Mapping Progress

Rajasthan leads in voter mapping among states implementing SIR, with 49.37% completed on the Election Commission of India (ECI) network. In comparison, Gujarat has achieved 5.73%, Uttar Pradesh 13.41%, Madhya Pradesh 20.09%, Tamil Nadu 21.62%, and Chhattisgarh 24.27%. This progress is attributed to the use of digitised voter lists from previous exercises.

The verification process involves BLOs visiting each household three times to distribute and collect forms. If a family is temporarily away, BLOs will attempt up to three visits within a month. If still unavailable, a form and notice will be left at the residence.

Verification and Cross-Verification

Mahajan explained that Rajasthan can now cross-verify voters across state borders using digitised lists, helping identify duplicate or migrated voters more effectively. The draft voter list will be published on December 9, with names of deceased, duplicate, or relocated voters removed and displayed online.

Currently, around 79.32% of voters over 40 have been verified through the BLO app, while only 22.22% of those under 40 have been mapped. This comprehensive approach aims to ensure accurate voter records and reduce discrepancies.

Polling Booth Adjustments

After completing the SIR process, the average number of voters per polling booth is expected to decrease to 890. To accommodate this change, 8,819 new polling stations will be added, bringing the total number across Rajasthan to 61,309.

This initiative reflects a significant step towards improving electoral processes in Rajasthan by ensuring more accurate and updated voter information for future elections.

With inputs from PTI