District Election Officers (DEOs) across Bengal have begun campaigns to identify eligible voters whose names were deleted during the SIR of electoral rolls and facilitate their inclusion in the voters' list, the office of the state chief electoral officer, Neelam Meena, said on Monday.
As part of the exercise, booth-level officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door visits, verify the status of such electors and facilitate the submission of Form 6, the application used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls, officials said.
The initiative follows a directive from the Election Commission (EC) to identify electors whose names figured in the pre-SIR voter list but were missing from the current electoral rolls, and assist eligible persons in applying afresh for enrolment.
The EC has also asked district election authorities to organise special enrolment camps to reach out to eligible voters who were left out, as well as first-time voters.
"Special camps are being held throughout the state to ensure this. If any person has any complaint, please feel free to contact the BLO, AERO, ERO or DEO concerned. We are committed to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the voters list," the statement, signed by Arindam Niyogi, the state's Additional CEO, read.
The list of electors categorised as absent, shifted, dead or deleted (ASDD) during the revision exercise was recently made available on the CEO's website and through links on the websites of the respective district election officers.
Eligible persons who find their names missing from the electoral rolls can apply online through Form 6 or approach their respective BLOs for assistance, officials said.
However, the CEO's office has clarified that cases rejected by judicial officers and appeals pending before appellate tribunals cannot be decided by executive election authorities through this process. Such cases will have to be dealt with under the applicable judicial mechanism.
The enrolment campaign comes amid continuing concerns over the large number of names excluded during the SIR exercise in West Bengal. The draft revision had flagged more than 58 lakh electors as ASDD, while over 60 lakh names were subsequently referred for adjudication. Around 27 lakh electors were deleted following the adjudication process, according to reports.
The appellate tribunals received over 22 lakh appeals for reinstatement.
Election officials have also been asked to coordinate with representatives of recognised political parties during the exercise to facilitate verification and identify any eligible elector who may have been left out.
The drive is expected to run alongside the regular enrolment process, with district-level authorities responsible for monitoring implementation and ensuring that applications are processed in accordance with electoral rules.