Shillong: Election officials in Meghalaya have identified 6,51,644 electors for further scrutiny as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, Chief Electoral Officer BDR Tiwari said on Tuesday. The CEO directed district- and booth-level officers to follow prescribed procedures before any removal or alteration of entries.
Breakdown and technical reasons for scrutiny
Of the total electors flagged, 2,22,786 fall under a “No Mapping” category, meaning their details could not be mapped to geographic or family records in the system, while 4,28,858 show mapping discrepancies when compared with SIR 2005 records, the CEO’s office reported.
| Category | Number of electors |
|---|---|
| No Mapping | 2,22,786 |
| Mapping discrepancies (vs SIR 2005) | 4,28,858 |
| Total | 6,51,644 |
Nature of anomalies identified
The Election Commission’s network (ECINET) has highlighted a range of irregularities that require verification. Officials were told to issue notices and hold hearings in line with statutory procedure. The principal categories cited include:
- Mismatch in elector or parent names;
- Age gaps inconsistent with expected parent–child relationships (less than 15 or more than 50 years);
- Siblings whose recorded dates of birth imply less than nine months between births to the same parents;
- Records showing more than six children linked to the same parents;
- Age difference of less than 40 years between elector and grandparent.
Process, timelines and legal safeguards
The CEO chaired a review meeting attended by Deputy Commissioners/District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and other senior election functionaries. He instructed Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) to examine the flagged cases carefully, issue notices within the prescribed time, and conduct hearings as per established rules.
Electors who receive notices are entitled to appear before the ERO/AERO and present supporting documents. The draft electoral roll for all 60 Assembly constituencies was published on 5 August. The period allowed for filing claims and objections runs until 4 September, while notice issuance and hearings will continue up to 31 October. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on 7 October, the CEO’s office said.
Applications since draft publication
Since the draft roll was released, election authorities have recorded 21,449 applications of various kinds. The breakdown provided by the office shows:
- 1,121 applications in Form 6 (inclusion of a name);
- 8 applications in Form 7 (objection to inclusion);
- 253 in Form 8 for change of address; and
- 1,067 other Form 8 submissions (corrections and updates).
Engagement with political parties and booth-level outreach
The CEO also met representatives of recognised national and state political parties. He urged party organisations to continue working through Booth Level Agents to assist eligible voters in verifying their entries and filing appropriate claims or objections where needed. The Election Department emphasised that no name will be deleted from the draft roll without completing the full statutory process.
Officials were reminded that before any adverse order is passed, an inquiry must be conducted, the elector given an opportunity to be heard, and a reasoned order issued. An elector dissatisfied with the decision may appeal to the District Magistrate, as per the applicable rules.
What electors should do
- Check the draft roll for your Assembly constituency (published 5 August).
- If your name is missing, file Form 6 before 4 September.
- To object to a name, submit Form 7 within the same period.
- For address changes or corrections, use Form 8 and ensure supporting documents are available at any hearing called by an ERO/AERO.
The CEO’s directions seek to balance the need for an accurate electoral roll with procedural fairness to voters as Meghalaya prepares administrative steps ahead of future elections.
