ECI Clarifies Maternal Grandparents Valid for Voter Mapping After SIR Row
Confusion by field officials led to rejection of forms; poll body says no distinction between maternal and paternal lineage
Panic and confusion gripped parts of Delhi after Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and their supervisors reportedly rejected voter enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), citing the use of maternal grandparents for identity mapping.
The controversy arose as some officials misinterpreted guidelines and refused applications where voters linked their details with maternal grandparents instead of paternal lineage. This triggered concern among citizens, particularly single women, widows, and divorced individuals, who viewed the move as discriminatory.
Clarifying the issue, the Election Commission of India stated that there is no distinction between maternal and paternal grandparents while mapping voters with the 2002 SIR list. “Parents or grandparents should be Indian nationals; whether maternal or paternal is immaterial,” officials said.
The Chief Electoral Officer Delhi also issued instructions to field staff, including Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), and BLOs, to accept such forms and rectify earlier rejections.
Officials said the clarification came in time to address the issue, and previously rejected applications would now be reconsidered. Supervisors confirmed that forms linked to maternal grandparents would be accepted going forward, bringing relief to affected voters.