Maharashtra Seeks More Local Discretion in Voter Roll Revision

Maharashtra’s chief electoral officer has asked the Election Commission to change its ECINet software and related procedures so local registration officers can use more discretion while handling cases in the state’s voter-roll revision. The Commission has announced a change to the hearing process and an ECINet review, but it has not clarified which other requested changes will be adopted. S. Chockalingam sent his request to senior Election Commission officials on September 24, according to reports describing the letter. It sought greater scope for Electoral Registration Officers, or EROs, to decide whether voters flagged for discrepancies need hearings, what documents they may submit and whether cases can be resolved at the local level. He also requested that uploading an extract from the previous intensive revision roll be optional in discrepancy cases and that officers receive written procedural guidance. The Commission said after a full meeting on September 26 that voters flagged for logical discrepancies would not routinely have to attend personal hearings. Booth-level officers would collect documents and upload them to ECINet, after which the ERO would make a decision.