Pune: Maharashtra chief electoral officer’s office has started special camps and a house-to-house drive to ensure eligible voters left out of the draft electoral roll get an opportunity to register themselves before the Oct 12 deadline for claims and objections under the SIR process, following Election Commission of India’s directive.Booth-level officers (BLOs) are visiting households to identify eligible voters. After verifying the eligibility, BLOs are collecting Form 6 applications from them. Those not available during BLOs’ home visits can approach special camps to be held at all polling stations on Saturday and Sunday.In a parallel exercise, registration camps are being held at colleges and universities across the state till Friday to enrol young voters. BLOs have been deployed at the camps to assist students in filling up applications and address queries related to the special intensive review (SIR) of electoral rolls. “All districts are carrying out these camps,” said a poll official.Voters included in the list of absent or migrated people during BLO visits because they shifted from their registered place of residence can also apply for inclusion of names in the electoral roll. The list is available on the CEO (chief electoral officer) Maharashtra website.“The aim is to ensure that no voter is left out. Efforts are on to reach out to all electors,” another election official said.At some places, BLOs are allegedly taking too long to upload documents. “Some BLOs are not too familiar with the changes in the app. So, they are taking time,” said a voter after visiting a registration camp with his mother.Meera Rajput, seeking correction under Form 8 for address change, said, “There is a fear among some people that they will not be able to upload details in time. Oct 12 deadline for claims and objections should be extended.”Opposition parties sought an extension of the claims and objections period, stressing that the SIR process should not be rushed.
