Syllabus: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability
Context of SIR 2.0
- The Special Intensive Revision 2.0 aimed to update electoral rolls using technology-driven processes.
- The exercise triggered widespread anxiety due to heavy reliance on manual verification methods.
- Despite ECINet’s digital capabilities, paper-based forms and hearings dominated ground execution.
- The mismatch highlighted gaps between institutional digital capacity and operational deployment.
Procedural Distress and Notable Instances
- Eminent citizens received summons over alleged age and mapping discrepancies.
- A Nobel laureate and Bharat Ratna awardee was flagged for age mismatch in records.
- Several MPs, DGPs, and Vice-Chancellors were asked to re-establish residency credentials.
- Ramakrishna Mission monks were summoned due to parent-name mismatches in legacy records.
Data Inconsistencies and Roll Deletions
- Draft rolls across 12 States and Union Territories showed extensive voter deletions.
- Nearly 65 million names were reportedly removed from the 2024 final electoral rolls.
- In Uttar Pradesh, draft rolls listed 12.56 crore voters, revealing serious anomalies.
- Panchayat SIR records showed 12.69 crore rural voters alone, indicating data contradictions.
Non-Mapped Voters and Accountability Shift
- Legacy errors from 2002–04 rolls created large numbers of “non-mapped” voters.
- In Uttar Pradesh, over ten million voters were flagged, representing eight percent of forms.
- Affected citizens faced short-notice hearings for institutional data failures.
- Genuine voters were directed to use Form 6, exposing them to potential legal liability.
Legal and Institutional Implications
- Incorrect Form 6 declarations may attract penalties under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- The process reverses accountability by transferring institutional error risks onto citizens.
- Manual procedures amplify coercion, administrative delays, and procedural indignity.
Digital-First Reform Proposals
- The Election Commission should deploy ECINet for backend cross-verification and document uploads.
- Applicants should receive SMS or email updates on Enumeration Form acceptance or discrepancies.
- Real-time draft roll updates can improve transparency and reduce hearing dependence.
- BLOs and local offices can assist digitally excluded voters during verification.
Conclusion
- Effective digitisation can restore accuracy, trust, and inclusiveness in electoral roll management.