No Name Can Be Automatically Deleted: Poll Officials
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HYDERABAD: No voter’s name can be deleted from the electoral rolls in Telangana without a hearing and a ‘speaking order’ stating the reasons, said poll officials, amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Official sources said a voter marked for deletion must be given an opportunity to present his or her case. The final order must state the legal grounds for the decision and can be appealed. Officials responsible for deletions can be held accountable if the prescribed procedure is not followed.
“If a voter’s name is deleted, it should be accompanied with a speaking order. There should not be any deviation from the rule prescribed by the Election Commission of India. The official who is deleting should have to substantiate,” informed a higher official to Deccan Chronicle.
The clarification comes as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) expedite deletions following hearings under the ongoing SIR exercise. Of the 92.88 lakh notices generated after ERONET flagged ‘logical discrepancies’ or anomalies, more than 3,000 names have already been deleted from the rolls in Telangana. Close to 10 lakh voters are yet to receive notices across the state.
A ‘speaking order’ is a formal written decision setting out the reasons for an administrative or legal decision. According to ECI directions, EROs will conduct hearings after serving notices and verify documents before taking a decision. The ERO must state the reasons for rejection in the speaking order.
Action can also be initiated against an ERO in case of mischief. Voters can appeal to the Collector as well as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Officials, however, could not confirm whether the prescribed procedure had been followed in the deletions already carried out or whether the affected voters had been notified. “They will be notified and BLO will inform them,” a higher official quipped.