Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan inaugurated a divisional-level training workshop for all government officers assigned for Systematic Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India, in the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, on May 19.

Participants included Additional Deputy Commissioners, Elector Registration Officers, Assistant Elector Registration Officers, tahsildars and technical staff of the Belagavi division.

The DC asked them to follow the ECI’s directions in the SIR exercise and carry out the process as per the rules. He said that all efforts should be taken to see that no person is deprived of the right to vote. “Voting is a democratic right of every citizen. We should all work to make it universally available to everyone without difficulty. All elector registration officers and assistant elector registration officers should perform their duties without fail,” Mr. Roshan said.

He said the process of mapping names of electors in Belagavi north and south constituencies had been nearly completed. However, some persons have been left out as they are yet to participate. Therefore, the process of including the persons who have been left out in the voter lists should be carried out immediately through door-to-door surveys.

V. Raghavendra, Joint Chief Electoral Officer, said that revision of voters’ list should be carried out flawlessly as per ECI guidelines. He said that action should be taken to include eligible voters in the electoral rolls, and to remove ineligible voters. He asked the officers to check and take action on absentee and migrant voters.

“All the authorities should work in co-ordination to successfully implement the comprehensive revision of the voter list. There are many examples of action taken against officers who violated election rules. Therefore, everyone should perform their election duties with vigilance.”

Resource persons gave detailed information on various issues, including the process of revising the electoral rolls, registration of new voters, correction of names, change of address, method of removing names of deceased and fake voters, use of online services. They also answered questions raised by the trainees.

Mr. Raghavendra said that elector registration officers had to carry out several duties, including ensuring that polling station level officers and supervisors are appointed for all polling stations, hold a meeting of the leaders of recognised national and State political parties for each polling station, and take action to appoint booth level agents, and inform them of the dates of revision, arrange training for polling station level officers and supervisors for all polling stations,

During special comprehensive revision, details shall be given regarding distribution of pre-printed enumeration forms, publication of draft voters list, and hearing, according to Deputy Commissioner Mr. Mohammed Roshan.