CHANDIGARH (Gurpreet Singh): The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls in Punjab reached its form-submission deadline on Saturday amid complaints from residents who said they faced difficulties in getting their names retained, restored or updated in the voter list.
Married women dealing with name changes, those caught up in matrimonial disputes and migrant families have emerged among the groups reporting the most difficulties during the verification process.
Marriage-Related Changes Create Complications
Several women said updating electoral records after marriage has proved particularly challenging, especially where their names or surnames have changed.
Residents alleged that different Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were providing different guidance on the documents required, creating uncertainty for applicants. Cases that cannot be resolved during routine verification are being taken to election supervisors for personal hearings.
Some women said they were advised to remove their existing voter entries and apply afresh. They were then asked to establish their connection with electoral records dating back to 2003—a requirement that can be difficult for those who do not possess old documents.
Karanpreet Kaur said she was asked to submit her previous voter card, her father’s latest EPIC number and a certificate confirming deletion of her earlier electoral entry.
She said she managed to avoid further complications because she had retained her original name and surname after marriage and had not made a corresponding change in her marriage certificate.
‘No Mapping’ Cases Add to Concerns
Dr Geeta, a plant pathologist at Punjab Agricultural University and an election supervisor in Ludhiana, said several cases were being categorised as “no mapping”.
According to her, these involve voters who cannot establish a link between themselves or their ancestors and the 2003 electoral roll.
She said women who have changed their names following marriage may face additional difficulties if their documents do not adequately establish their identity.
“We are talking of women empowerment but in many cases women do not have a single document to prove their identity particularly name change after marriage,” Dr Geeta said.
Matrimonial Disputes Complicate Verification
Women involved in matrimonial disputes have reported another set of problems. In some cases, their names have reportedly been removed from electoral records at their parental addresses, while they may not be available for verification at their marital homes.
Silky, from Phagwara, said she was told by a BLO that she was not found during verification.
“How could I be present as I have a dispute going on. Now I am visiting election supervisor to get my name enrolled in the voters list,” she said.
Migrants Asked for Additional Records
Migrants have also raised concerns about the documentation process. Some residents said Aadhaar was not being accepted for the particular verification requirement and that they were instead being asked to provide details of their parents or establish links with ancestral voter records.
Pankaj Sharma said he was informed that his family’s electoral records could not be located and that his own voter entry had consequently been removed.
“I have been told that the record of my family could not be found so my vote has been deleted. I am visiting again to furnish the documents,” he said.
His wife, Nisha, said her name was also affected after her husband’s entry was deleted.
“They are not accepting Aadhaar cards and I have been told to submit the details of my parents as well,” said Nisha, a resident of Haibowal, during a visit to the election supervisor’s office in Ludhiana.
Residents Raise Allegations of Uneven Treatment
The process has also generated allegations of differential treatment. Some residents claimed BLOs were more accommodating towards people considered close to local councillors, while others were asked to provide additional documentation.
These allegations could not be independently verified.
Technical glitches and errors involving mobile numbers have further added to the difficulties, according to residents. While online applications were available, some voters said they preferred approaching officials personally because of technical problems or a lack of confidence in the online process.
The revision exercise has also required some people employed outside their home districts to return to their native towns to complete verification formalities.
With the submission deadline now ending, voters whose cases remain unresolved are relying on election supervisors and personal hearings to address discrepancies and seek inclusion or restoration of their names in the electoral rolls.
