Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will begin a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the state from May 30, with election authorities directing district administrations to ensure a transparent, error-free and inclusive voter list revision process.
A state-level preparatory meeting chaired by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R S Gopalan was held virtually on Tuesday to review arrangements for the voter list revision programme. Nodal officers, Deputy Collectors (Election) and District Information & Public Relations Officers (DIPROs) from all districts participated in the meeting.
During the review, the Chief Electoral Officer instructed officials to make the upcoming Special Intensive Revision exercise more efficient and citizen-friendly, with particular emphasis on new voter registration, correction of errors and transfer of voter details.
Gopalan stressed that no eligible voter should be left out during the revision process and called on district administrations to simplify procedures to encourage greater public participation.
As part of the exercise, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door surveys to verify voter information. Officials have been directed to adopt special strategies to ensure the process remains transparent, accessible and free from misinformation.
The Election Department also expressed concern over possible misinformation linked to the SIR exercise on social media platforms. District authorities have been instructed to monitor online platforms closely and immediately counter any misleading claims or rumours regarding voter list revision.
Officials said any misinformation detected online would be promptly verified and clarified by the administration to prevent confusion among voters.
To make the process easier for rural residents, all enumeration forms related to voter registration and revision will be made available in Odia language, enabling people to understand and complete the process more conveniently.
Authorities will also launch awareness campaigns to inform citizens about the door-to-door verification drive and encourage them to provide accurate details to election officials.
The toll-free Election Helpline number 1950 will be widely publicised to assist citizens with voter-related queries. Through the helpline, residents can access information related to electoral rolls and even schedule a call with their local Booth Level Officer.
Deputy CEO Dr Laxmiprasad Sahu advised district media and social media cells to intensify public awareness efforts through local media and digital platforms to ensure wider dissemination of information about the voter revision programme.
The meeting also stressed stronger coordination between district administrations and election authorities, while officials decided to accelerate online application systems and further activate Booth Level Officers for smooth implementation of the revision drive.
