93% of Bihar voters given enumeration forms, 13.2% have submitted them: EC

NEW DELHI: With enumeration forms distributed to 93.7% of Bihar's 7.9 crore electorate so far and 13.2% electors already submitting the completed and signed forms, EC officials Saturday told TOI that documents can be added or uploaded by electors whose enumeration forms were submitted with incomplete documentation, right until July 25.

July 25 is the last date for submission of the filled-up enumeration forms.

"As of Saturday 6pm, over one crore enumeration forms (13.2% of Bihar's electors) have been received. The percentage of forms distributed has also gone up to 93.6%, with 7.4 crore forms given to the electors," an EC spokesperson said.

Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while welcoming the fast-paced work on SIR in Bihar, said the exercise will be completed as scheduled, with the cooperation of all and 100% transparency.

Sources in the poll panel told TOI that where enumeration forms are short on one or more required documents, there shall be a window for the elector concerned to submit them anytime before July 25.

"In order to get one's name in the draft electoral roll, the strict condition is to sign and submit the pre-printed enumeration form before July 25. This step will filter out non-existent voters, either dead or migrated ones who are no longer ordinary residents of that assembly constituency," said an EC officer.

Though BLOs will give their recommendation on "inclusion or exclusion" while submitting/uploading the filled up enumeration form, the electoral registration officer or assistant ERO is expected to scrutinise the forms "not recommended" by BLOs only after draft rolls are published on Aug 1.

As many as 77,895 BLOs are going house-to-house to help the electors fill out their emuneration forms and collect them. In some cases, they are taking live pictures of the electors and uploading them, saving the elector the trouble of getting their pictures clicked.

After the draft rolls are published on Aug 1, claims and objections may be filed by political parties or any member of the public until Sept 1. The final electoral roll will be published on Sept 30. Those still aggrieved can file first appeal with the district magistrate and second one with the chief electoral officer.