Deputy Commissioner stresses grassroots role in ensuring roll accuracy
Kohima, August 12 — Deputy Commissioner B Henok Buchem, NCS, appealed to tribal organisations, community bodies and recognised political parties to assist the administration in updating the electoral roll under the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls, 2026. The appeal came at a meeting-cum-awareness programme held in the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here on August 12, the State Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) reported.
The gathering brought together presidents and general secretaries of recognised political parties in Kohima unit and division, office-bearers of the Angami Public Organization, representatives from Kohima-based tribal hohos, members of the Kohima Masjid Committee and delegates from the Gorkha Public Panchayat Kohima (GPPK). Officials from the District Administration and the Election Office were also present.
"The electoral roll is the foundation of the democratic system,"
Buchem underlined the need to keep the roll accurate and up to date and said that the cooperation of tribal and community leaders was critical because of their direct links to people at the grassroots. He described two principal aims of the SIR: ensuring that all eligible citizens are included in the voter list and identifying and removing inaccuracies, including deletion of ineligible entries.
Awareness sessions held across subdivisions and town
The Deputy Commissioner informed participants that awareness meetings have already been conducted with various stakeholders and community representatives across the sub-divisions and Kohima town as part of efforts to create greater public understanding of the revision process. He asked leaders to help disseminate accurate information and to motivate eligible persons to come forward and register or update details as required.
Assistant Election Officer, Kohima, Chisho Swu, gave a presentation outlining the SIR procedure and the modalities for enrolment, followed by an interactive segment during which attendees sought clarifications on aspects of the revision. The DIPR account said the session allowed for questions from political party representatives and community delegates.
Key objectives and local responsibilities
The meeting emphasised practical roles that community actors can play to support the SIR process, including outreach to residents, verification of local data and coordination with enumeration teams. The administration sought to align community networks with the Election Office’s timelines and mechanisms.
- Ensure enrolment of all eligible electors within Kohima district.
- Identify and rectify inaccuracies and remove ineligible entries from the rolls.
- Use local community structures to disseminate information and assist in verification.
The SIR is a nationwide exercise instituted by the Election Commission of India to refresh electoral rolls ahead of upcoming polls. While the DIPR report did not specify local deadlines or enumerator schedules, the meeting was part of a broader campaign to ensure district-level preparedness.
| Participants | Role |
|---|---|
| Deputy Commissioner, Kohima | Chair; appealed for cooperation |
| Assistant Election Officer, Kohima | Presented SIR procedures |
| Political party office-bearers, tribal hohos, community bodies | Stakeholders called on to assist outreach and verification |
By engaging tribal and community leaders, the administration aims to leverage established local networks to improve coverage and accuracy of the rolls. Accurate voter lists are essential to the conduct of free and fair elections and to preventing disenfranchisement arising from omissions or outdated records.
The DIPR report did not include timelines for the completion of the SIR in Kohima or details about mobile/enumerator deployments. Participants at the meeting were given contact points for further clarification and encouraged to coordinate with the Election Office for follow-up activities, according to the DIPR.
Officials said further outreach and awareness events will continue as part of the state's SIR campaign.
