Shillong, Sept 1: Meghalaya’s ongoing voter list revision has got a two-week extension to ensure no genuine voter is left out after the recent disruption in Shillong.
Chief Electoral Officer Meghalaya today reviewed the Special Intensive Revision exercise with Deputy Commissioners, election officers and political parties and announced a revised timeline. Electors can now file claims and objections till September 18, hearings will continue till October 17 and the final roll will be published on October 21.
The extension is meant to give enough time to people, especially in Shillong where hearings and field work were temporarily affected last month due to law-and-order situation, to check their names, respond to notices and attend hearings.
The CEO said hearings have resumed in East Khasi Hills from August 31 and people whose hearings were postponed should stay in touch with their BLO, ERO or AERO for the new dates.
During the review, the CEO made it clear that no name in the draft roll will be deleted without proper notice, inquiry and a fair hearing, and a reasoned order has to be passed in each case.
A large number of electors have been issued notices where their records could not be linked with the 2005 revision or where mismatches have been noticed in the ECINET mapping. These include mismatch in name or parent’s name, unusual age gaps between parents and children, siblings shown with less than nine months age gap, more than six children linked to same parent and less than 40 years gap with grandparent.
All such persons are being given a chance to explain and produce documents during hearings.
The functioning of helplines, including the 1950 Voter Helpline, alternate mobile helplines, the NGSP portal and the facility to book a call with the BLO, was also reviewed and districts were told to attend to grievances promptly.
Briefing political parties in a separate weekly meeting, the CEO appreciated the role of Booth Level Agents and sought their continued help in assisting electors to verify their names, respond to notices and file claims and objections, saying regular engagement with parties adds transparency and wider participation to the revision exercise.
