Jharkhand SIR: 83.51% enumeration forms digitised, says CEO K. Ravi Kumar; claims and objections phase begins
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, August 5: Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K. Ravi Kumar on Wednesday announced the successful completion of…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, August 5: Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K. Ravi Kumar on Wednesday announced the successful completion of the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral rolls, stating that 2.21 crore Enumeration Forms, accounting for 83.51% of the electorate, have been collected and digitised during the month-long exercise.
Addressing a press conference in Ranchi, Ravi Kumar said the extensive voter verification drive, conducted between June 30 and July 29, covered 2,21,01,249 electors out of Jharkhand’s total electorate of 2,64,63,236, marking the successful completion of the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision.
The Chief Electoral Officer said the Claims and Objections phase commenced on August 5 and will continue till September 4.
He appealed to eligible voters whose names existed in the 2026 electoral roll but who could not submit their Enumeration Forms during the verification drive to file Form-6 along with the prescribed declaration so that their names could be included after due verification.
Ravi Kumar said the objective of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision is to ensure that every eligible Indian citizen is included in the electoral roll while removing ineligible entries through a transparent and participatory verification process.
Over 43 Lakh Uncollectable Forms Verified
The CEO said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) digitised 43.61 lakh uncollectable Enumeration Forms after field verification and consultations with political party representatives through BLO-BLA2 meetings and Chunav Pathshalas.
According to the data shared during the press conference, the uncollectable forms were classified into five categories:
- Duplicate or multiple entries: 4.38 lakh
- Deceased electors: 7.63 lakh
- Permanently shifted voters: 15.92 lakh
- Absent or untraceable electors: 14.50 lakh
- Refused to sign and others: 1.16 lakh
Political Parties Played Active Role
Highlighting the participatory nature of the exercise, Ravi Kumar said the revision was carried out with the support of 24 District Election Officers, 81 Electoral Registration Officers, 365 Assistant EROs, 63 Additional AEROs, 2,938 BLO Supervisors, Booth Level Officers and 29,571 volunteers deployed across the state.
He added that all nine recognised political parties actively participated by nominating 77,430 Booth Level Agents (BLAs), who attended verification meetings and scrutinised the draft lists prepared during the enumeration process.
Transparency Measures Highlighted
The Chief Electoral Officer said transparency remained the cornerstone of the Special Intensive Revision.
Three rounds of BLO-BLA2 meetings and Chunav Pathshalas were organised at every polling station to scrutinise electors proposed for deletion and to enable political parties and other stakeholders to verify the process. Minutes of these meetings were uploaded on the CEO’s website, and no objections were received, he said.
He also highlighted the Election Commission’s extensive awareness campaign, which included newspaper advertisements, FAQs, training videos, podcasts, digital outreach and the statewide #JharkhandSIR social media campaign.
According to Ravi Kumar, more than 845 meetings with recognised political parties, over 100 press conferences, 62 official press releases and 29 daily bulletins were issued during the enumeration phase to ensure transparency, counter misinformation and keep voters informed.
Special Focus on Inclusion
Ravi Kumar said special efforts were made to ensure that migrant workers, urban voters, tribal communities, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), senior citizens, persons with disabilities and first-time voters were not left out of the electoral roll revision process.
He announced that special enrolment drives would be organised across Jharkhand on August 8, 9, 22 and 23 to facilitate registration of young voters who attain the age of 18 years on or before October 1, 2026.
Multi-Channel Grievance Redressal
The CEO said the Election Commission established a comprehensive grievance redressal mechanism during the SIR exercise through the ECINET “Book a Call” facility, the Voter Service Portal, the National Grievance Service Portal and the toll-free helpline 1950.
Dedicated state and district-level help desks also remained operational throughout the enumeration phase to assist voters and resolve queries promptly, he added.
