SIR Deadlines Extended in Maharashtra, Delhi and 4 Other States

The Election Commission of India has extended the timelines for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Nagaland, India TV reported on 29 October. The commission sent separate communications to the five states and Delhi after their chief electoral officers asked for more time, and the final rolls in five of the six now come out on 30 November.

Delhi Claims Window Open Till 25 November

In Delhi, the last date to file claims and objections moves from 30 October to 25 November. Claims will be scrutinised and disposed of by 15 December instead of 30 November, and the final roll is due on 22 December. Residents whose names are missing from the draft roll now have almost four more weeks to apply.

In Maharashtra, the claims and objections deadline moves from 26 October to 13 November. The notice stage and settlement of claims, earlier due by 10 November, now run until 25 November. Maharashtra’s final roll is due on 30 November.

Also read Maharashtra SIR: Supreme Court Seeks EC Reply on 3 Crore Deletions

Disposal of claims ends on 20 November in Haryana and Andhra Pradesh, on 25 November in Nagaland and on 26 November in Telangana, according to The Week. All four publish their final rolls on 30 November.

Third Round of Pushbacks in Phase 3

Phase 3 of the SIR was announced on 14 May and covers about 36.73 crore voters across 16 states and three Union Territories, according to The Federal. Maharashtra has had the longest delay so far: its final roll date was first set for 7 September and later moved to 4 November.

Business Today reported that the extension came two days after a Supreme Court bench led by the Chief Justice questioned the 30 October cut-off and the need for existing voters to file Form 6, and urged the commission not to “enforce strict cut-off dates for inclusion”. IPB News covered the court hearing in its earlier report on the Delhi SIR schedule.

Final Rolls Due 30 November and 22 December

Voters in the six states can check the draft roll and file Form 6 or objections at their booth-level officer or on the commission’s portal until the new dates. The commission has not said whether other Phase 3 states will get more time. Opposition parties have questioned the exercise; the background is in IPB News’s state-wise data on draft roll deletions.

Source: Based on reporting by India TV, The Week, Business Today and The Federal.

Image: AFP (representational).