Jharkhand SIR: Deleted electors still have chance to restore names in voter list
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, August 7: Electors whose names have been deleted from the electoral rolls under the ASDD (Absentee, Shifted,…
Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, August 7: Electors whose names have been deleted from the electoral rolls under the ASDD (Absentee, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate) category during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Jharkhand still have an opportunity to seek restoration of their names, provided they can establish their eligibility within the prescribed timeframe.
Claims Can Be Filed Till September 4
According to officials and legal provisions governing the electoral roll revision, electors whose names have been deleted under the absentee, shifted or duplicate categories can file claims and submit supporting documents to establish their eligibility for inclusion in the voter list. The ongoing claims and objections process will continue until September 4, 2026.
However, the responsibility of proving eligibility and citizenship rests with the individual elector and not with the government machinery, making it essential for affected persons to furnish the required documents within the stipulated period.
Dead Electors Have Limited Scope for Restoration
Officials clarified that the possibility of restoration is virtually ruled out in cases where an elector has been correctly identified as deceased. However, if a living voter has been mistakenly categorised as dead, there is an immediate provision for rectification through the prescribed electoral process.
For electors classified as absentee, shifted or duplicate, adequate legal remedies remain available. Notices will be issued and hearings conducted, enabling affected voters to present their claims before the electoral authorities.
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Citizenship Can Be Decided Only by Competent Authority
Sources pointed out that if names are deleted from the electoral rolls on the basis of the Election Commission’s opinion that a person is “not a citizen”, such cases are required to be referred to the Competent Authority under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The Election Commission of India does not have the legal authority to determine or confer citizenship. That responsibility lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, acting through the competent authority under the Citizenship Act.
Such cases are required to be referred within four weeks, and the competent authority is expected to adjudicate citizenship before the next Parliamentary, Assembly or local body elections.
Supreme Court Judgment Clarifies Procedure
The legal position has been elaborated in the 124-page judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on May 27, 2026, in the case of Association for Democratic Rights vs Election Commission of India, by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
A copy of the judgment is available with this correspondent.
Over 2.65 Lakh ASDD Electors in Palamu
Official figures show that Palamu’s five Assembly constituencies together have 2,65,651 electors classified under the ASDD category. This includes 40,822 deceased electors, 36,643 duplicate electors, 5,273 voters who refused to sign enumeration forms, and 54,018 cases where enumeration forms could not be collected.
Officials have advised all eligible electors, except those genuinely recorded as deceased, to make full use of the ongoing claims and objections process to avoid permanent deletion from the electoral rolls.
DC Urges Electors to Respond to Notices
Palamu Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat has appealed to voters to respond promptly to notices issued by election authorities.
Sources said notices are being issued in large numbers and will be followed by mandatory hearings before the concerned election officials, providing affected electors an opportunity to establish their claims for restoration in the electoral rolls.
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