Electors can easily fetch details of 2002 electoral roll to fill up enumeration forms, says Shivamogga DC

The distribution of enumeration forms to electors in Shivamogga district, as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), is in progress, and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have so far covered 37.85% of electors in the district, Deputy Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalikatti said.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Mr. Kavalikatti said the BLOs had been instructed to visit door-to-door to distribute the enumeration forms. Of the 15,19,459 electors in the district, 5,75,101 have received the forms. “The electors have to return the filled-in forms to the BLOs, who will digitise the information. So far, 0.74% of the enumeration forms have been digitised by the BLOs,” the DC said.

Mr. Kavalikatti said the names of electors who submit the filled-in forms will appear on the draft electoral roll to be published on August 5. The public will have time to submit claims and objections on the draft roll until September 4. These claims and objections will be disposed of by October 3, and the final electoral roll will be published on October 7.

“We have issued clear instructions to the BLOs that they have to visit door-to-door to distribute the forms. The BLOs cannot ask the electors to meet them at any particular place. If there are any such instances, we will take action,” the DC said.

Mr. Kavalikatti said electors could easily fill in the enumeration form. “They require information about the constituency, part number and serial number of their names as per the electoral roll of 2002. Electors can get this information by visiting the website of the Chief Electoral Officer (https://ceo.karnataka.gov.in),” the DC said.

In case an elector was not a voter in 2002, he or she could fill in the form using the details of a relative — father, mother or grandparent. “We are reviewing the SIR progress every day. The district administration is hopeful of completing the distribution of the forms within three to four days. There is time till July 29 to return the filled-in forms,” the DC said.

Besides the BLOs, Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties can also collect the filled-in forms and hand them over to the BLOs. “The electors should be cautious about whom they hand the copies to. We will also publish the names of the booth-level agents appointed by the political parties,” he said.

He also clarified that while the BLAs could accompany the BLOs during the distribution of enumeration forms, they were barred from carrying publicity material during house visits. “When the BLAs visit houses, they cannot carry any publicity material, even with regard to the SIR process,” the DC told reporters.