Mumbai, June 11: Mumbai Congress President and Member of Parliament Varsha Gaikwad has urged the Election Commission to conduct the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in a fair, transparent and inclusive manner, taking into account Mumbai and Maharashtra’s weather conditions, religious festivals and local circumstances.
Congress Delegation Meets Chief Electoral Officer
Leading a delegation of Mumbai Congress leaders, Gaikwad met Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam and held discussions on concerns related to the SIR process currently underway in Mumbai.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Gaikwad said that the Constitution guarantees voting rights to every citizen above the age of 18 and that no eligible voter should be deprived of this fundamental democratic right.
She stressed that citizens displaced due to redevelopment, rehabilitation projects, demolition of old buildings, chawls and slum redevelopment should not have their names removed from electoral rolls merely because they have temporarily relocated.
Concerns Over Form 7 And Administrative Support
The Congress delegation also raised concerns about the alleged misuse of Form 7 applications and demanded adequate safeguards to prevent wrongful deletion of voters.
Gaikwad called for a significant increase in the number of Returning Officers and Booth Level Agents (BLAs), stating that voter mapping work in Mumbai remains inadequate and requires greater administrative support.
She further urged the Election Commission to reconsider the SIR timetable in view of the ongoing monsoon season and the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage, during which lakhs of devotees travel to Pandharpur. Special care should be taken to ensure that the names of such voters are not deleted from electoral rolls during the revision process, she said.
Request For Written Notices And Party Representation
Gaikwad also demanded that any voter proposed for deletion should be given a written notice at least seven days in advance and an opportunity to present their case before any action is taken.
She emphasized that representatives of all political parties should be involved at every polling station to ensure transparency and public confidence in the exercise.
Investigation Into Bogus Names
The Congress leader further sought a thorough investigation into complaints regarding the inclusion of bogus names through online processes and called for strict action against those found responsible.
According to Gaikwad, election officials responded positively to the concerns raised by the Congress delegation and assured that the issues would be considered during the implementation of the SIR exercise.
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Delegation Members
The delegation included former minister Naseem Khan, MLAs Aslam Shaikh, Amin Patel and Bhai Jagtap, along with senior party leaders Charansingh Sapra, Sureshchandra Rajhans, Akhilesh Yadav, Javed Juneja, Mandar Pawar and Hina Ghazali.
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