Shillong, June 29: The house-to-house verification of electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will commence across East Khasi Hills on June 30 and continue until July 29, with the district administration urging all registered voters to cooperate in the exercise.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills assured the public that the revision exercise is intended to include all eligible voters rather than exclude them.
“The message to all electors is to take this exercise seriously, but there is absolutely no reason to fear. As the Election Commission of India has repeatedly stated, the objective is to include eligible voters and not to exclude them,” the Deputy Commissioner said.
He informed that 1,021 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit every household across all Assembly constituencies in the district to distribute pre-filled self-enumeration forms to electors whose names are listed in the 2025 electoral roll.
The Deputy Commissioner clarified that voters are not required to submit any supporting documents during the initial stage. Electors only need to verify the information, complete the self-enumeration form accurately, and return it to the BLO.
Explaining the process, he said the 2005 electoral roll has been adopted as the baseline because it was the last comprehensive electoral roll revision undertaken by the Election Commission of India.
He expressed confidence that the vast majority of voters would complete the verification process by simply submitting the self-enumeration form. However, in cases where further clarification is required, the concerned BLOs will notify electors and provide sufficient time to submit supporting documents.
While the Election Commission has issued an indicative list of 11 acceptable documents, the Deputy Commissioner stressed that the list is not exhaustive. Documents issued by churches, headmen and other competent authorities may also be considered, with the final decision resting with the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) after examining all available evidence.
Following the completion of the enumeration exercise, a one-month claims and objections period will be provided. Electoral Registration Officers will scrutinise all applications before the final electoral roll is published on October 7, 2026.
The Deputy Commissioner said the primary objective of the Special Intensive Revision is to prepare a clean, accurate and error-free electoral roll.
He also informed that electors who are unable to meet the BLOs personally may submit their self-enumeration forms online through the Election Commission of India’s website. Assistance will also be available through BLOs and dedicated helpline numbers.
In addition to the Election Commission’s national voter helpline 1950, the East Khasi Hills district administration has activated two district helplines: 0364-2502550 and 0364-2501228.
The Deputy Commissioner further stated that the revision exercise also provides an opportunity for eligible citizens who have recently turned 18 years of age but are not yet registered as voters to apply for enrolment through Form 6.
He clarified that the Special Intensive Revision is specifically meant for the verification of electors already included in Meghalaya’s 2025 electoral roll. Cases involving migration from other states or transfer of electoral registration will continue to be processed separately under the existing provisions through Form 8.
Addressing concerns over possible deletions, the Deputy Commissioner assured that only cases involving deceased voters, duplicate entries, shifted electors, or persons found ineligible under the law would be considered for deletion after due verification.
He added that the district administration has been conducting regular meetings with headmen, community leaders and local representatives to spread awareness and address misconceptions about the exercise.
“I understand that some people may be anxious after hearing reports from other states, but there is no reason to fear. The administration is ready to walk hand in hand with every eligible voter throughout this process,” the Deputy Commissioner said.
