Jharkhand SIR exercise is a celebration, not an exclusion drive: Palamu DC
Daltonganj, June 29: Seeking to allay public concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Palamu Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election…
Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat
Daltonganj, June 29: Seeking to allay public concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Palamu Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat on Monday described the exercise as a “celebration” aimed at ensuring that every eligible voter is included while preventing ineligible entries.
“SIR is not a rigour but an utsav (celebration),” Shekhawat said, urging all stakeholders to actively participate in the process.
“Make it a celebration. It’s a collective exercise and a participatory activity. Every stakeholder should help take it forward,” he said.
‘Exercise Is About Inclusion, Not Exclusion’
Addressing concerns raised by sections of society over the revision exercise, Shekhawat stressed that the objective of SIR is to make the electoral roll more accurate.
“The aim and objective of the SIR is noble. It is to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded and, at the same time, no ineligible voter is included,” he said.
Responding to questions about apprehensions surrounding the exercise, the district election officer said there was no reason for people to panic.
“This exercise is not about exclusion; it is about inclusion to the fullest extent. There is no ghabrahat (nervousness) at all,” he said.
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86% Parental Mapping Completed
Shekhawat said 86% of parental mapping has already been completed in the district, with only 14 electors out of every 100 yet to be verified.
According to him, 2,35,701 electors are yet to be mapped.
He appealed to those voters not to worry and said they could complete the process by producing a birth certificate or any of the prescribed documents.
Aadhaar Alone Not Enough
The district election officer clarified that while the Aadhaar card is one of the 11 accepted documents, it must be supported by another valid document for parental mapping.
He also explained the citizenship requirements under different birth periods.
People born in India between January 26, 1950, and July 1, 1987, are citizens by birth and do not need to produce any document to establish citizenship, he said.
For those born after that period, the required documents vary depending on the applicable provisions relating to the birth years 1987 and 2004, including birth certificates of the applicant and parents, wherever applicable.
“Citizenship is by birth and descent,” Shekhawat said while explaining the documentation process.
BLOs to Visit Every Household
Shekhawat said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will begin door-to-door visits from June 30, with the exercise continuing until July 29.
If a house is found locked, a BLO will make up to three visits. If the occupants remain unavailable, the enumeration form will be left at the residence by inserting it through the door or any available opening.
Electors have been advised to sign two copies of the enumeration form—one to be submitted to the BLO and another to be retained for their records.
