Uttarakhand poll panel chief Purushottam gets SIR notice over mismatch in electoral records: Report

Uttarakhand's Chief Electoral Officer BVRC Purushottam has received a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) notice due to a discrepancy in his name within the electoral rolls. According to a statement from his office, the required documents were already submitted to the relevant Booth Level Officer (BLO). The notice, as reported by Hindustan Times, is a standard part of the verification process and should not cause concern.

To address the notices issued during the SIR, Purushottam has instructed district election officers to hold hearings at the homes of differently-abled voters and senior citizens aged 65 and above. These directives came during a video conference with divisional commissioners and district magistrates from the Kumaon and Garhwal divisions, aimed at reviewing the electoral roll revision progress in the state.

Purushottam emphasized the importance of ensuring that vulnerable voters are not unnecessarily required to visit polling booths or hearing centers. He also tasked the Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat and Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swarup with conducting super-checking visits to districts under their jurisdiction to monitor the exercise.

As of July 14, when the draft electoral roll was published, over 19 lakh notices, approximately 77% of the total, were issued in response to discrepancies and mapping issues identified during the revision process. Hearings on these notices are currently underway in all districts and will persist until September 3.