SIR Hearings To Focus on Facts, Protect Voting Rights: Roll Observer

Vijayawada: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in NTR district is being conducted with a focus on factual verification, transparency, and protection of the voting rights of every eligible elector, Roll Observer and IAS officer M.V. Seshagiri Babu said.

Seshagiri Babu, along with Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Commissioner H.M. Dhyanachandra, inspected the hearing process at the AEROs’ offices in Ayyappa Nagar in Vijayawada East Assembly constituency and Ajit Singh Nagar in Vijayawada Central constituency on Monday.

He reviewed the manner in which notices issued to voters were being examined and directed officials to clearly explain the issues mentioned in the notices, hear voters’ explanations and scrutinise supporting documents before arriving at a decision. He also examined field verification reports submitted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and other officials, with particular attention to verifying voters’ addresses and discrepancies in their details.

Seshagiri Babu enquired about arrangements for pregnant women, bedridden persons, voters unable to attend hearings due to health conditions and those staying in other states or countries. He directed officials to ascertain the circumstances in each case before taking a decision and stressed that every case should be examined comprehensively and disposed of strictly according to the rules.

He called upon BLOs and field-level officials to discharge their responsibilities with transparency and accountability.

Officials said 1,90,348 notices had so far been distributed under the revision exercise. Hearings had been completed for 75,471 persons, while the hearing schedules of 58,895 others had expired and were being rescheduled to provide them an opportunity to appear.

Vijayawada RDO Vennela Sreenu, EROs, AEROs and BLOs participated in the programme.