Will not be removed from electoral roll even if enumeration form is not filled completely: Chief Electoral Officer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar IAS said that no one will be excluded from the electoral roll for not filling the enumeration form completely. Those who have filled only the first part of the enumeration form and signed it will also be included in the draft electoral roll to be released on December 9. “The distribution of forms is almost complete. The process of digitising the completed forms is also ongoing,” said the CEO. He was speaking at a meeting of political parties related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls. BLOs doing election work will not be pressured. If the officials lack training, it will be resolved. A meeting of NORKA will be called to address the concerns of expatriate voters.

Citizenship Act being imposed

Muslim League General Secretary Adv Shah said that the SIR is a move to secretly impose the Citizenship Act. He also demanded that the Chief Electoral Officer should directly call a meeting to resolve the concerns of the expatriates. CPM leader M Vijayakumar said that not including siblings in the place of relatives in the enumeration form is causing difficulties. BJP spokesperson JR Padmakumar said that some political movements are trying to sabotage the SIR by putting pressure on government officials. Political representatives who attended the meeting alleged that the SIR during the local body elections has practical problems and that it is strange that more time is not being given.