New Delhi
Over half of India’s voters may not need to submit documents during the upcoming special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, according to Election Commission (EC) officials. Those already included in the voter list during previous revisions — mainly between 2002 and 2004 — will be exempted from submitting identity or birth proof.
The EC is preparing to roll out a nationwide voter list cleanup by the end of this year. Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) have been asked to prepare voter lists from the last SIR as the reference point. For example, Delhi’s last SIR was in 2008, while Uttarakhand’s was in 2006.
In Bihar, the 2003 roll is the cutoff, covering around 4.96 crore voters — about 60% of the total electorate. These voters won’t need extra documents. However, the remaining 3 crore will need to submit one of 12 approved documents for verification.
A new declaration form is required for voters applying for the first time or shifting from another state. It includes proof of birth in India before July 1, 1987, or documents proving parents’ birth details if born later.
