In a sharp critique of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Kerala, Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan has called for the immediate withdrawal of notices sent to nearly 1.8 million voters. Speaking at a press conference in the Assembly media room on Wednesday, Satheesan highlighted the widespread distress caused by these summons, which require voters to appear for hearings to verify their details.
The leader pointed out that minor discrepancies in names or initials—often resulting from glitches in the Election Commission’s software—are being flagged under the guise of ‘logical inconsistencies.’ ‘Citizens should not be penalized for systemic technical errors,’ he asserted, urging Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to conduct door-to-door verifications instead of repeatedly summoning voters.
Satheesan demanded the complete recall of notices issued via the BLO app, noting that while the Election Commission had hinted at such measures, implementation has been inconsistent across the ground level. He expressed grave concerns over the alleged misuse of Form 7, used for deleting names from voter lists, calling for stringent action against those submitting false information and BLOs accepting unverified applications.
‘No voter’s name should be removed from the list without due notice,’ Satheesan warned, alleging frequent deletions in northern Kerala districts targeting voters linked to opposition parties. He described the SIR process as akin to a citizenship verification drive, emphasizing the need for political parties to exercise restraint.
Additionally, Satheesan flagged procedural flaws affecting migrant voters, particularly those born abroad who lack options on the EC website to declare birthplaces in Form 6A applications. He demanded immediate intervention, extended deadlines, and direct complaints to District Collectors, while pushing for talks between the EC and party representatives to resolve these issues swiftly.