ECI clarifies notice to retired Admiral Arun Prakash, citing incomplete SIR documentation

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday clarified that the election-related notice issued to retired Admiral Arun Prakash was the result of incomplete documentation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and not a targeted or discretionary action.

The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for the 27-Cortalim Assembly Constituency issued a formal clarification following media reports on the notice sent to the former chief of Naval staff. The ERO attributed the incident to missing mandatory particulars in the enumeration form submitted by Admiral Prakash, which prevented automatic verification by the electoral system.

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According to the clarification, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) for Part No. 43 had collected an enumeration form that lacked several essential details required for digital processing. As a result, the automated system could not verify the elector’s status or link the form with the existing electoral database.

The ERO said key information was left blank, including the name of the elector and their relative, the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number, and specific assembly details such as the constituency name, part number and serial number. “Because these fields were empty, the BLO application could not establish a link to the existing electoral database. The system categorized the Enumeration Form under the ‘unmapped’ category,” the statement explained.

Emphasising that the process was entirely system-driven, the ERO said the notice was issued as part of standard procedure applicable to all unmapped forms. “The BLO application is designed to map enumeration forms only when the prescribed particulars are provided to allow for digital verification,” the clarification said.

In cases where forms remain unmapped, the SIR guidelines mandate further verification through a hearing mechanism. The ERO noted that the hearing notice sent to Admiral Prakash was “automatically generated” by the system to provide the elector an opportunity to confirm eligibility and ensure that electoral details are accurately updated.

The clarification was issued from the office of the District Rural Development Agency, South Goa, and is dated January 12, 2026.