Maharashtra Extends Voter Verification Deadline to November 25
Over 97% of flagged voters in Maharashtra have completed the verification process as the Election Commission extends the deadline.
97.16% of flagged voters have finished verification.
Deadline for submitting claims and documents extended to November 25.
Less than 10% of excluded voters have applied for inclusion.
In Maharashtra, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has reported that over 97% of the 12.22 million flagged voters have successfully completed the verification process as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This announcement comes alongside the extension of the deadline for submitting necessary documents to November 25, aiming to ensure that all eligible voters are accounted for.
The ECI flagged these voters after the enumeration phase concluded on August 31, identifying 12.22 million out of 77.2 million electors who remained on the draft roll. Among these, approximately 5.97 million were categorized as “unmapped,” meaning their details could not be verified against the 2002 SIR roll. Additionally, 6.25 million voters had logical discrepancies, such as mismatched names or ages. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been actively reaching out to these individuals, requesting supporting documents via WhatsApp to rectify the errors.
According to the latest data, 97.94% of voters with logical discrepancies have cleared the verification process, while 96.35% of the unmapped electors have also completed their verification. The Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, S. Chockalingam, indicated that lists of electors with pending notices have been published by assembly constituency, expressing optimism that the remaining 3% will submit the required documentation.
Despite the high completion rate among flagged voters, the ECI has noted a concerning trend regarding applications for inclusion. Of the 15.23 million electors whose names were omitted from the draft rolls, and over 3.5 million first-time voters, fewer than 10% have applied for registration. This low response rate may be attributed to the absence of immediate elections in the state for the next three years, as suggested by a poll official.
Looking ahead, the ECI has adjusted the SIR schedule across five states, including Maharashtra, with the final electoral roll set to be published on November 30. The commission continues to encourage eligible voters to participate in the verification process to ensure their representation in future elections.
