Gurvinder.SinghLudhiana: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has thrown up challenges for city residents, particularly in tracing details from the 2003 electoral database and accounting for migration between localities over the years.Those who were too young to be registered as voters in 2003 are finding it especially difficult, as they are required to provide their parents’ voter card details for mapping.Several residents in their 20s and early 30s said that when they approached booth level officers (BLOs) for assistance, they were told that tracing their parents’ voter details in the 2003 electoral rolls was proving difficult.Raunak, a resident of Karnail Singh Nagar, said he was not a voter in 2003 and, although his parents had voter cards, their details from that period could not be located.“When I searched for my parents’ details on the Election Commission portal, several people with the same names from my constituency appeared, making it difficult to identify the correct records,” he said.Harpal Singh, an elderly resident of Satjot Nagar, said, “I could not find my 2003 voter details, so I submitted the enumeration form. The BLO told me that during the inquiry, I would be asked a few questions for identification. I am not sure what those questions will be. It is very confusing because I have a voter card issued in 2012 from Manjit Nagar, yet I am still being asked for details from 2003.”Another resident said his name could not be traced in the old electoral rolls and, since his parents are no longer alive, he did not have immediate family references available for verification.“It has not been possible to trace my voter record from 2003. I contacted the BLO in the area where I previously lived, but we have not been able to find it,” he said.A recurring concern raised by residents is the requirement to furnish details from 2003 despite having voted multiple times in subsequent years.Rohit, a resident of Civil Lines, said, “My wife has voted from this address three times, but we are still being asked to trace details from her previous place of residence.”Questioning the rationale behind the exercise, he said, “My father passed away nine years ago, my grandmother died later and my sister is married. They no longer have votes registered here. The system is updated and voter cards already exist. Then what is the logic of conducting this exercise on the basis of 2003 data?”Ludhiana has around 26.8 lakh registered electors, including 14.1 lakh men, 12.6 lakh women and 135 third-gender voters.For the Special Intensive Revision, the district has deployed 2,927 BLOs, 292 supervisors, 14 electoral registration officers (EROs), 28 assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) and 70 additional AEROs. These officials are carrying out door-to-door verification and assisting residents in filling and submitting enumeration forms.Officials said that if an elector’s details cannot be traced in the 2003 records, supporting documents may be required to establish continuity and complete the mapping process.When asked why residents are being asked to furnish details linked to the 2003 electoral rolls despite possessing voter identity cards issued later, election officials said the Election Commission’s current mapping exercise is being conducted with reference to the 2003 SIR database. Election kanungo Ashwini Kumar advised voters to submit the enumeration forms.“Electors should ensure that they submit the enumeration forms to their respective BLOs. In cases where mapping is not completed, notices may be issued after Aug 13 seeking additional documentary proof for completion of verification,” he said.Officials said 67.8% of voter data has so far been mapped and digitised under the SIR exercise. According to the district administration, nearly 98% of the enumeration forms have been distributed.
