SHILLONG, JUN 29: With a house-to-house electoral roll verification set to roll out across East Khasi Hills from Tuesday, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal on Monday sought to reassure voters that the exercise is meant to “include and not to exclude,” urging electors to participate without fear.
Speaking at a press briefing, Baranwal said Booth Level Officers will begin visiting households in all constituencies from June 30 to July 29 as part of the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The BLOs will distribute self-enumeration forms to electors who were on the 2005 electoral roll, which the ECI has taken as the baseline for the revision since it was the last comprehensive update conducted nationwide.
“The message and the request to all the electors through this press conference is to take this exercise very seriously and simultaneously to not be afraid of this exercise at all,” Baranwal said.
He reiterated the ECI’s position that the enumeration covers existing voters only, adding, “The idea is to include and not to exclude.”
Under the schedule, electors must fill and return the self-enumeration form to BLOs during the one-month field verification. This will be followed by a month for filing claims and objections, and another month for Electoral Registration Officers to dispose of them. The final electoral roll is slated for publication on October 7, 2026.
“The idea of SIR as has been stated by ECI is to have a clean, error-free and accurate electoral roll,” the DC said.
Baranwal clarified that no documents are needed at the enumeration stage. “The electors have only to deposit their properly filled self-enumeration form. That is all that is required at the stage of the enumeration,” he said.
He expects the “overwhelming majority” of electors to be covered through the forms alone. Only in a small fraction of cases where BLOs seek clarification will voters be asked to submit additional documents.
Though the ECI has issued a list of 11 indicative documents, Baranwal said BLOs have been instructed to accept any document electors provide, including church or headman certificates.
“The list of 11 documents is only indicative. They should receive any document that the elector offers,” he said.
Decisions will be taken by EROs “not only on the basis of the 11 indicative documents but through an overall understanding on the basis of all the documents which have been submitted.” To assist voters, the ECI has enabled online filing of the self-enumeration form on its website. The district administration has also set up helplines at 0364-2501255 and 2501228, in addition to the ECI’s 1950 helpline.
Baranwal said electors can reach out to BLOs or call the helplines for help. The revision will also capture new voters who have turned 18 and are not in the 2005 roll.
“They can always submit their Form 6 as well and during the house-to-house verification also, it will be found out by the BLOs,” Baranwal said, stressing again that the objective is inclusion. The district has 1,021 polling stations and an equal number of BLOs.
He explained that BLOs will carry pre-filled forms based on the 2025 electoral roll and pre-mapping already done by the administration. “We hope that an overwhelming majority of voters will not really have to be put through the hearings and objections,” he said.
Deletions, he added, would likely involve the deceased, those who have shifted, duplicates, or persons who are not bonafide citizens of India. The same exhaustive process will apply across the district, whether in Shillong, Mawkynrew, Shella or Pynursla, Baranwal said.
Voters must establish that they or their family members were in the 2005 roll, irrespective of surname or location. Cases of migration will be dealt with separately through Form 8, as the SIR is currently limited to verifying 2025 registered voters in Meghalaya.
Acknowledging anxiety over reports of exclusions from other states, Baranwal said the administration is working with headmen and community representatives to dispel fears.
“I can understand as an elector myself that this can be scary for people, but then please don’t fear. Administration is ready to walk hand in hand with you,” he said.
“We would be absolutely okay if you ask us the same question 100 times, but we would not want to miss any eligible electors.”
