Over 1.19 lakh enumeration forms distributed on day one of SIR exercise in Meghalaya

Meghalaya recorded a strong start to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with more than 1.19 lakh enumeration forms distributed on the first day of the exercise, covering 5.07 per cent of the state's electorate, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) BDR Tiwari said on July 1.

According to the CEO, 1,19,129 enumeration forms were distributed by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the house-to-house campaign launched on June 30. The exercise covers the state's 23,49,645 registered electors.

Tiwari said the objective of the Special Intensive Revision is to ensure that every eligible citizen is included in the electoral rolls while preventing the inclusion of ineligible voters.

A total of 3,551 BLOs have been deployed across Meghalaya, each covering an average of 662 electors. They are being assisted by 60 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 166 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), and 410 BLO Supervisors, all of whom have undergone training for the exercise.

Among the districts, South West Garo Hills recorded the highest progress with 20.49 per cent of forms distributed, followed by North Garo Hills (10.25 per cent), South Garo Hills (6.67 per cent) and West Garo Hills (6.50 per cent). In East Khasi Hills, which has the state's largest electorate, 28,006 forms had been distributed, covering 4.43 per cent of voters as of 3 pm on Wednesday.

The house-to-house verification and collection of completed forms will continue until July 29.

Tiwari clarified that no supporting documents are required during the enumeration stage. BLOs will distribute the forms in duplicate, collect one completed copy and issue an acknowledgement on the second copy. If a house is found locked, the BLO will leave the form behind and make three subsequent visits to collect it.

Electors can also submit their completed forms online through the ECINET mobile application or the Election Commission's Voter Services Portal.

To facilitate the revision, electoral rolls prepared during the last SIR in 2005 have been uploaded on the Chief Electoral Officer's website, district administration portals, the ECINET app and the Voter Services Portal. 

Voters whose names appeared in the 2005 rolls have been advised to use those details while filling out the forms, while those who moved to Meghalaya after 2005 can retrieve their previous electoral details through the online portals.

The CEO urged all eligible voters to cooperate with BLOs and submit their completed forms within the stipulated period to ensure an accurate and updated electoral roll.