Kerala SIR: KPCC delegation meets Kerala CEO, says SIR a “harrowing and vexing” experience for voters

Overview The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala. The KPCC has raised concerns about potential disenfranchisement of genuine voters due to inconsistencies and discrepancies in the voter lists. The party has requested the ECI to avoid summoning voters for personal hearings in cases where 'logical discrepancies' exist and in non-mapping cases where voters can provide necessary documentation. Key Developments KPCC Delegation: A delegation consisting of MLAs Mathew Kuzhalnadan , P.C. Vishnunadh , and M. Vincent met with Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Rathan U. Kelkar on Saturday . Concerns Raised: The KPCC stated that the SIR has become a difficult experience for voters, potentially excluding genuine voters from the electoral roll due to the way the Absent/Shifted/Dead (ASD) list , non-mapping list, and logical discrepancy list are being managed. Demands: The Congress has demanded that new enrolments under SIR be allowed until February 14 . They also requested that facilities for enrolment and corrections be extended through panchayat and village offices. Voter Statistics: According to Mr. Kuzhalnadan , 24.08 lakh people are listed in the ASD list and excluded from the draft roll, 19.32 lakh are listed as non-mapped, and 18 lakh voters are included in the ‘logical discrepancy’ list. Criticism of Polling Station Rearrangement: The KPCC criticized the rearrangement of polling stations, which has resulted in family members being scattered across different stations, causing confusion and hardship for voters. Issues with the Electoral Roll Revision The KPCC has highlighted several critical issues with the current SIR process: Risk of Voter Exclusion: A significant number of eligible voters in Kerala could face expulsion from the electoral roll due to the current state of the SIR. Responsibility for Errors: The Congress leaders pointed out that the EC or booth-level officers (BLO) themselves were responsible for the errors creeping into the entries, making it unfair to summon voters for hearings. Procedural Hardships: The KPCC argues that the overall process should be tuned towards ensuring that genuine voters are not subjected to procedural hardships. UPSC Relevance This news article is relevant to the GS2 (Polity and Governance) syllabus. It highlights issues related to the electoral process, voter inclusion, and the role of the Election Commission of India. Understanding the challenges in maintaining accurate voter lists and ensuring fair elections is crucial for UPSC aspirants. Important Facts The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is aimed at updating the electoral roll. The Absent/Shifted/Dead (ASD) list identifies voters who are no longer eligible to vote at their registered address. Non-mapping refers to voters who could not be linked to the 2002 SIR list. Logical discrepancies refer to inconsistencies in voter entries. The KPCC is the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.

Kerala SIR: KPCC delegation meets Kerala CEO, says SIR a “harrowing and vexing” experience for voters

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Kerala SIR: KPCC delegation meets Kerala CEO, says SIR a “harrowing and vexing” experience for voters

Kerala SIR: KPCC delegation meets Kerala CEO, says SIR a “harrowing and vexing” experience for voters

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