Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) In a major relief for voters across Maharashtra, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday extended the deadline for filing claims and objections under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to October 12, 2026. The decision followed a formal request from Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S. Chockalingam.
Under the updated timetable, the ECI will continue disposing of claims, objections, and notices until November 10, 2026, with the final electoral roll scheduled for publication on November 16, 2026.
The ECI announced operational measures including door-to-door document collection, exemption from mandatory physical attendance, relief in virtual hearings, family representation and dedicated help desks for vulnerable groups, according to a statement issued by the State CEO’s office late Saturday.
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit the homes of citizens flagged as “Unmapped” or with “Logical Discrepancies” to collect verification documents. Voters will no longer need to attend hearings in person at Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) or Assistant EROs’ offices. In unavoidable cases, hearings will be conducted online, and any adult family member may represent the voter.
District Election Officers (DEOs) have been instructed to set up help desks and outreach camps for homeless citizens, migrant labourers, pavement dwellers and night shelter occupants to ensure inclusive enrolment.
The current SIR campaign, launched earlier this year, is the first comprehensive door-to-door electoral roll overhaul in Maharashtra since 2002. Rapid urbanisation, migration, unrecorded deaths and duplicate entries over two decades necessitated full-scale verification.
BLOs initially cross-checked voters against historical rolls from 2002–2004 to establish eligibility cut-offs. However, heavy monsoon rains in Konkan and Mumbai, civic disruptions and large numbers of “unmapped” voters created operational bottlenecks, prompting calls from political parties and civil society groups for more time.
The extension and home-visit protocols aim to prevent accidental omission of genuine voters, reduce red tape and ensure an accurate, verified voter list ahead of upcoming local body and state elections, sources at the State CEO’s office said.
–IANS
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