Election Commission of India limits voter list claims and addresses Maharashtra age errors

The Election Commission of India has introduced limits on the number of claims and objections that can be filed using Form 7 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. To prevent challenges caused by bulk filings, a single voter may now submit a maximum of ten claims or objections in their area throughout the SIR period. For regular continuous updates to voter lists, the limit is set at five claims or objections per month.

Under these new guidelines, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will first issue notices to the initial claimants and conduct individual statements for every objection. The ERO will resolve applications under Rules 19 and 20 of the Voter Registration Rules, 1960, after ensuring the validity of the objection and providing the affected individual an opportunity to present their case.

In Maharashtra, the Commission addressed concerns regarding age discrepancies in the voter list, specifically involving 270,000 voters listed as being over 100 years old. The Commission stated that these issues were resolved within the designated timeframe at the request of the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra. The corrections were completed before the deadline for claims and objections, meaning voters did not need to file separate Form 8 applications for age corrections.