Pune: The publication of the draft roll next week and the hearings that will follow under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will be conducted by 7,100 AEROs appointed across Maharashtra. Chief electoral officer S Chockalingam told TOI that hearings would deal with unmapped electors and those with anomalies in mapping. Voters whose names are missing from the draft roll can apply through Form 6. The CEO said EROs would consider documents and BLOs’ field reports before making a decision. He stressed that being categorised as ‘unmapped’ does not mean exclusion. The process provides voters multiple opportunities to establish eligibility and seek inclusion.The draft roll is a provisional stage. How can voters establish their eligibility before any final exclusion?CEO S Chockalingam (SC) I There is no need to panic. The entire period of SIR, from June to Oct, provides opportunities for inclusion, modification and correction. The draft electoral roll will be prepared by electoral registration officers (EROs) and published on the date of the draft publication. It will be available on the websites of district election officers and chief electoral officers. Any eligible person whose name is not in the roll can apply for inclusion using Form 6. This includes persons whose names are left out or anyone who is applying for the first time, like someone who turned 18 after Oct 2026.If a voter produces the documents and the ERO is satisfied about the eligibility, will the name be included in the final electoral roll even if it was missing from the draft roll? Will a hearing help a genuine voter correct the record? How will the process be simplified? Will BLOs collect the documents?SC I The purpose of publishing the draft roll and calling for claims and objections is for any eligible elector whose name is missing to apply and attach the required documents. BLOs will verify this in the field. After the mandatory seven-day period during which public comments may be made on the applications, the ERO will decide on the basis of the documents and field report of the BLO. Hearing is related to the verification of documents for unmapped electors and electors with anomalies in mapping. Relatives can also produce the relevant documents if the elector cannot make it due genuine reasons and it would be verified by the ERO.A large number of voters are ‘unmapped’ or have logical discrepancies in their enumeration data. How will EROs distinguish between a genuine eligibility issue and a mere data or mapping error, particularly where the voter has been on the electoral roll for years?SC I For anomalies or logical discrepancies, necessary clarification by way of appropriate documentation is needed. For example, when the surnames do not match due to change in surname, a marriage certificate or any other proof of marriage is needed. On the other hand, if there are discrepancies based on spellings or age, any relevant document and a simple panchnama is enough. No formal enquiry is needed for these. For unmapped electors, one of the documents listed by ECI or documents equivalent to them is necessary. The ERO or AERO will enquire into it and take an appropriate decision based on the document submitted. We have appointed 7,100 AEROs for hearing.Does an ‘unmapped’ status mean exclusion, or can the voter establish linkage through alternative records and documents? What documents will have to be produced ?SC I The purpose of the unmapped category is to call for documents from the person by issuing a notice. Anyone whose name is in the unmapped category may submit any one of the documents prescribed by the ECI or equivalent documents. Aadhaar can only be used for identification.What happens if a voter is shown as shifted or absent despite residing at the same address, or a family member is mapped while another genuine voter in the same household is not?SC I The issue of an absent or shifted voter is related to whether the person’s name is included in the draft electoral roll or not. Once the draft roll is published, the focus shifts to whether the name appears in the roll. If a person’s name is not there and he feels that he is eligible to be included, he must apply using Form 6. Mapping is totally different. Names of unmapped but resident electors who have signed the enumeration form will appear in the draft roll and they have to submit one of the permitted documents. It may be noted that there is a genuine possibility of some family members being mapped and others not as only certain relations are permitted to be mapped.If an ERO rejects a voter’s claim after the hearing, will the voter receive a written order explaining why the documents were not accepted?SC I An elector has the option to give alternate documents during the hearing if a particular document is rejected. The ERO will issue a reasoned order. An aggrieved person can appeal to the district magistrate/district election officer. Alternatively, if the person does not have an appropriate document at the time of hearing or within the extension of time given during the hearing can apply afresh with Form 6 once he gets permitted document either during the SIR or even later using the ‘ongoing updation process’ which will start once the SIR is over (after final publication of the electoral roll) and continues till next election or revision.
