3.5 lakh ‘unmapped’ voters do not turn up for SIR hearing in West Bengal
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Elections, ECI & electoral reforms· Prelims·
Why in news
Over 3.5 lakh unmapped voters in West Bengal failed to appear for hearings during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, leading to an extension of the hearing deadline.
Background
The Election Commission extended the SIR hearing deadline to February 7th for unmapped voters in West Bengal. A Sabar Institute study found that 43.7% of deleted women voters were categorized as 'permanently shifted,' often due to marriage.
Facts for Prelims
- FactOver 3.5 lakh unmapped voters in West Bengal remained unverified due to non-attendance at SIR hearings.
- Fact43.7% of deleted women voters in the study were categorized as 'permanently shifted'.
- PlaceSitai, Mekliganj, Katulpur, Sonamukhi, and Keshpur recorded the highest number of deceased women voters.
- PostBooth Level Officers (BLO) are the designated point of contact for voters who missed their initial hearing.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the challenges in maintaining accurate electoral rolls in India and suggest measures to ensure inclusive voter registration for mobile and marginalized populations.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Data integrity: Difficulty in distinguishing between permanent migration and temporary relocation in electoral roll maintenance
- Gendered migration: High rates of women being deleted from rolls due to marriage-related relocation
- Administrative bottleneck: Reliance on Booth Level Officers for manual verification in high-density rural areas
Keywords: Electoral Roll · Special Intensive Revision · Voter Verification · Demographic Shift · Administrative Outreach
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