1.87 Crore Voters Fall Under ‘Uncollectable EF’ Category In Maharashtra

Mumbai: More than 33.94 lakh deceased voters and 63.61 lakh voters who could not be traced have been identified in Maharashtra during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, according to data released by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Maharashtra. The figures are part of 1.87 crore voters, or 19.17 per cent of the state’s electorate, placed in the “Uncollectable EF” (Enumeration Form) category after door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

According to the data, 33,94,053 voters (3.47 per cent) have been categorised as deceased, while 63,61,113 (6.5 per cent) have been classified as “gairhajar” (absent) — voters who could not be located or were absent during the verification process.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is currently conducting the SIR exercise in Maharashtra, with August 17 set as the deadline for completion. Voters whose names fall under the Uncollectable EF category will have to submit their enumeration forms to their respective BLOs to avoid exclusion from the draft electoral roll.

Maharashtra has 9,78,54,049 registered voters, of whom 7,62,99,360 (77.97 per cent) have so far submitted their enumeration forms, according to the CEO’s office. Another 1,87,56,231 voters (19.17%) have been classified under the Uncollectable EF category following door-to-door visits by BLOs.

The category includes voters who could not be located or were absent during verification, those who have permanently shifted, deceased voters, voters already enrolled elsewhere or registered more than once, and those falling under other categories.

A senior official from the Maharashtra CEO’s office said the department was hopeful that voters would come forward before August 17 to ensure their names are included in the draft electoral roll. However, the official said the number of voters who are likely to do so would be less than 1 per cent of those currently classified under the Uncollectable EF category.

The official said lists of voters in the Uncollectable EF category are being made available to Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by recognised political parties through the concerned BLOs. The lists are also being published on the official websites of district collectors.

“Political parties and their representatives have been asked to examine the lists and provide relevant information about voters to the concerned BLOs. Where information regarding the whereabouts or status of a voter is provided, the BLOs can conduct physical verification and complete the enumeration form,” he said.

The issue was also discussed at a state-level meeting with representatives of all recognised political parties on Wednesday. Detailed information was provided to the representatives, who were instructed to obtain and scrutinise the lists through their BLAs.