Large-scale removals from draft electoral rolls during Special Intensive Revision in nine States and three UTs

The Hindu
The Hindu
3h ago
Draft electoral rolls published under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision removed 6.5 crore electors across nine States and three Union Territories, reducing the elector count from 50.9 crore to 44.4 crore.
Large-scale removals from draft electoral rolls during Special Intensive Revision in nine States and three UTs
A What happened
Draft electoral rolls published under the Special Intensive Revision removed 6.5 crore electors across nine States and three Union Territories. The elector count in these areas fell from 50.9 crore before phase two to 44.4 crore in the published draft rolls. Election Commission of India officials said removed names were placed in the ASD category: Absent, Shifted, and Dead/Duplicate. Officials also said enumeration form collection has been much less in urban areas than in rural areas in the States and UTs covered.

Key insights

  • 1

    Removed electors were placed in the ASD category: ECI officials said names removed from draft rolls were put in the Absent, Shifted, and Dead/Duplicate category.

  • 2

    Urban enumeration form collection was reported as lower: ECI officials cited trends indicating enumeration form collection has been much less in urban areas than in rural areas in the covered States and UTs.

  • 3

    ECI cited a constitutional duty on voter roll eligibility: The Election Commission said it has a constitutional duty to bar foreigners from voter rolls.

Takeaways

Phase two of the Special Intensive Revision has produced draft rolls in which 6.5 crore electors were removed across nine States and three Union Territories, with removals categorized as ASD and Uttar Pradesh alone excluding 2.89 crore names in its draft list.

Topics

World & Politics Elections Policy & Regulation Governance

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