‘Parent SIR details requirement for new voters is not a new exercise’: ECI

New Delhi, Jul 12 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday refuted claims that the “mandatory provisions for new applicants seeking inclusion in electoral rolls to provide details of their parents’ status from the previous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a new exercise”.

The poll body sources said that this requirement was started last year in Bihar. This requirement applies not only to existing voters missed in earlier SIR exercises but also to fresh applicants filling Form 6.

The move, sources said, started last year in June during the Bihar SIR exercise. It was aimed at streamlining verification, mapping family linkages, and reducing the need for extensive documentation by linking new voters to legacy electoral data.

The provision, already implemented in Bihar during its pioneering SIR exercise, has now been extended through administrative instructions to other states and Union Territories undergoing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision.

This continuation ensures consistency in the verification process across different phases of the Special Intensive Revision being carried out nationwide.

The Election Commission maintains that such measures are essential for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls while making the inclusion process more efficient for genuine applicants.

Applicants must declare whether their own name or their parents’ (father, mother, grandfather, or grandmother) name featured in the previous SIR electoral rolls.

The ECI officials emphasised that the step strengthens the integrity of electoral rolls by ensuring accurate family-based verification while facilitating genuine inclusions.

The Special Intensive Revision, which began in phases from Bihar in 2025, involves door-to-door enumeration by Booth Level Officers using pre-filled forms. It aims to clean up electoral rolls by removing deceased, shifted, duplicate, or ineligible entries while protecting the rights of genuine voters.

In the first phase alone, Bihar saw around 47 lakh names deleted, representing nearly six per cent of its electorate.

The ECI sources maintain the process is transparent, constitutional, and backed by judicial precedents.

The poll body often has urged all eligible citizens to participate actively in the enumeration drive, which continues in several states, to ensure no genuine voter is left out.

Officials have also clarified that those unable to provide immediate documents will receive notices and opportunities for correction.

This expanded verification mechanism is expected to play a crucial role in preparing accurate voter lists ahead of upcoming elections, reinforcing the credibility of the democratic process.

Voters can check details on the ECI portal or contact Booth Level Officers for assistance.

–IANS

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