On the first day of the special intensive revision (SIR) on Tuesday, booth-level officers (BLOs) went door-to-door in various localities distributing enumeration forms, where they encountered many confused voters who raised several questions.
Metro accompanied a BLO in Garfa, under the Jadavpur Assembly constituency, and captured some of the questions raised and the replies:
A man in his 70s
Question: My son lives outside India and will not be back by December 4 when the submission of enumeration forms ends. Will his name be deleted from the voter list?
BLO’s response: The BLO was unsure of the answer but stated she would take back the completed forms. She added that the final decision regarding cases like this — where an elector cannot sign the form — would be taken by supervisors at a later stage.
A man in his 40s
Question: Will children need to submit any documents, even if their parents’ names were on the 2002 voter list?
BLO’s response: No. Only filling out the enumeration form will suffice.
A man in his 70s
Question: Two of my family members have shifted to Howrah, but their names still appear on our polling station’s list. Can their names be moved during this revision process?
BLO’s response: Yes. BLOs will provide the necessary forms for transferring names to a new polling station or constituency, along with documents for removing deceased voters or correcting details such as spellings or addresses. The filled-out forms must be submitted alongside the enumeration forms.
A man in his 70s
Question: How will people who cannot access computers or check online (on the chief electoral officer’s website) find out if their names were on the 2002 voter list?
BLO’s response: We have not been informed during our training about any physical helpdesk being run by the Election Commission of India. The best way to find your name on the 2002 list is by visiting a helpdesk run by political parties.
Note: An official from the chief electoral officer’s office clarified that BLOs are expected to carry the 2002 voter list for such cases.
A woman in her 40s
Question: The enumeration form asks for a relative’s name and relationship. Who qualifies as a relative? (This section must be filled out only by those whose names were not on the 2002 list).
BLO’s response: A relative means either a parent or grandparent whose name was on the 2002 voter list.