Maharashtra voter list revision sparks dispute over removed names

A political dispute has emerged in Maharashtra regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Congress MLA Amin Patel has written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), S. Chokalingam, expressing concern over the removal of approximately 95,732 voters from the draft list in the Mumbadevi assembly constituency. Patel alleged that the removal of voters—officially cited as absent, shifted, duplicate, or deceased (ASDD)—was exacerbated by poor communication from Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and a lack of official notices to affected citizens.

To prevent eligible voters from being disenfranchised, Patel requested an extension for submitting Form-6 (used for new registrations and corrections), proposing the deadline be moved from September 30 to October 31. He also requested an extension for hearings regarding discrepancies until November 30, noting that the upcoming Ganesh festival may hinder citizens' ability to meet current deadlines.

In response, the Maharashtra CEO clarified that the recently published draft list is not final. The CEO stated that the primary focus of the first phase of SIR-2026 was to verify actual residences, resulting in the exclusion of individuals not found at their registered addresses. The office emphasized that voters who have moved within the state can re-register at their current locations and that the process for new voters turning 18 after October 1, 2024, is ongoing. The CEO cautioned against comparing the current draft to previous election data, stating that a valid analysis can only be conducted once the final list is released in early November.