Revision of SIR; Govt to start help desks to find people excluded

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has issued an order to start help desks to include eligible voters excluded in the revision of special intensive revision (SIR). The decision has been made to start help desks by assigning the responsibility to two officers based in village offices. Anganwadi, ASHA workers and Kudumbashree workers will be assigned to reach places like highlands, hilly and coastal areas and create awareness.

When the draft SIR list was published in eleven states including Kerala, three crore seventy lakh voters were excluded. The highest number of voters were excluded in Tamil Nadu. The elections in five states including Kerala will be announced after the final voter list is published on February 21. However, if there is any court intervention, this may be delayed again. Election Commission sources indicate that the election date will be announced only after the final list is released.

After Bihar, the central government has announced a radical revision of the voter lists in ten states and two union territories, including Kerala. Of these, the publication of the draft lists in eleven states, except Uttar Pradesh, has been completed. In Uttar Pradesh, the time for this has been given till 31st of this month. The central election commission will monitor the complaints in the draft lists, which exclude the dead and those who have permanently moved.