Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, July 15: Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Darshan H V has clarified that there is no need for fear or apprehension regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating that the exercise is not intended to delete voters' names but to ensure that all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll.
Speaking after inaugurating a special voter awareness campaign organised by the District Administration, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat and the SVEEP Committee at Nethravathi Hall in the Zilla Panchayat on Wednesday, the deputy commissioner addressed college students and stressed the importance of the revision process.
He said the SIR exercise was being conducted after nearly 24 years, with the previous revision having taken place in 2002. The objective is to identify and include all eligible citizens aged 18 years and above in the electoral roll, thereby safeguarding their constitutional right to vote.
"The SIR exercise is not meant to remove names from the voters' list. It is aimed at identifying eligible voters and ensuring they are included in the electoral roll," he said.
Emphasising the significance of voting, Darshan urged students to exercise their franchise without fail. "One cannot question the democratic process without participating in it. To vote, one's name must be on the electoral roll. At times, even a single vote can decide the fate of a candidate, and that in turn can influence your future," he said.
Chief executive officer of the Zilla Panchayat Vinayak Karbari, who attended the programme as chief guest, said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) had already distributed enumeration forms to voters as part of the SIR process.
Describing the exercise as simple, he appealed to the public to fill in the forms and submit them to their respective BLOs at the earliest. He said trained resource persons were creating awareness among students, who in turn should ensure that all members of their families completed the forms and also encourage their neighbours to do the same.
Karbari pointed out that it takes BLOs only two to five minutes to upload accurate information through the mobile application. However, if the information is incomplete or incorrect, verifying details from other sources and uploading them may take between 30 minutes and one hour. The uploaded information is also verified by BLO supervisors before being finalised.
He therefore urged the public to submit the completed forms without delay to facilitate smooth and timely processing.
He further informed that voters residing abroad could also complete the SIR process online. So far, around 1,700 voters from Dakshina Kannada district have submitted their details through the online mode.
Probationary IAS Officer Archit Dongre was present on the occasion.
District planning coordination officer Dr Sumangala S Nayak welcomed the gathering, while Gayathri compered the programme.