Stalin flags confusion in voter enumeration, launches helpline for public assistance

Citing his own enumeration form, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Sunday said confusion is reigning supreme in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with even educated citizens struggling to fill in the required details.

Continuing his criticism of the SIR exercise, the Chief Minister, in a video message, displayed the enumeration form given to him and raised questions about the ambiguities in it.

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“After asking for the applicant’s details, the next question seeks information about a relative listed in the earlier voter roll. Who is this relative — father or mother, wife or husband, brother, sister, or children? Everyone’s name appears in the voter list. Where is the clarity?” he asked.

“It doesn’t end there,” Stalin said, adding, “In the box for the relative’s details, first the name is sought, then his or her EPIC number. Then, for a third time, the relative’s name is asked again. Whose name are we supposed to mention? Even a minor mistake could result in the Election Commission rejecting the form and deleting a voter’s name. The very thought is unsettling, even highly educated people and those in senior positions would feel anxious.”

“While the Election Commission says the applicant should affix a photograph, the Chief Electoral Officer told the all-party meeting that it is optional. This only adds to the confusion. What happens if someone fails to attach a photo? Will they be disenfranchised? It all depends on the respective Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), and from the very beginning, everything seems to have gone wrong,” Stalin pointed out. He said this was the very reason why West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were opposing the SIR.

Listing other issues, Stalin said there were numerous complaints about Booth Level Officers (BLOs) not visiting localities.

“Even when they do, they come without enough forms and distribute only about 30 a day. If this is how they function, how can an ERO distribute and collect more than three lakh forms within such a short period? These have to be computerized before December 7 for the release of the Draft Rolls,” he said.

He urged DMK functionaries to remain vigilant, ensure forms are filled and submitted without fail, and protect electoral democracy.

Reiterating his charge that the SIR was a “conspiracy for mass deletions” in Tamil Nadu to benefit the BJP, the Chief Minister also announced a public helpline (**08065420020**) to assist citizens in filling out and submitting their forms.