Guwahati: Meghalaya’s ongoing voter list revision could result in the removal of nearly 1.5 lakh names before the draft electoral roll is released on August 5.
As part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), election officials have placed 1,49,656 electors in the Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate (ASDD) category.
Authorities said Wednesday is the final date for submitting verified enumeration forms, warning that voters who do not complete the process may not find their names in the draft roll.
The exercise affects a substantial portion of the state’s 23.49 lakh electorate. According to official figures, the ASDD list consists of 74,851 deceased voters, 28,826 marked as absent, 37,914 who have shifted and 5,899 duplicate records.
Data released by the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office showed that enumeration forms have reached 99.6% of voters. However, about 2.24 lakh forms are yet to be linked to their geographical locations, representing nearly one-tenth of the total.
Ri-Bhoi has the largest share of pending mapping at 23.45%, while South West Khasi Hills follows with 14.53%.
Officials have maintained that eligible voters will not lose their names without verification. Even so, those who changed their residence within the same constituency or were unavailable when Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visited their homes are advised to complete the process to avoid being classified as absent or shifted.
Chief Electoral Officer BDR Tiwari said each ASDD entry will be examined under the provisions of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. He said officials will verify every case and provide the concerned voter, or family members where necessary, an opportunity to present their side before any decision is taken.
The election department has asked voters to hand over their completed forms to Booth Level Officers or upload them through the online voter service portal.
Once the draft electoral roll is issued on August 5, the public will be able to submit claims and objections before the final list is published.