Stories
EC Eases Voter Verification, Extends Deadlines Amid SIR Row, Defends Unanimity
- •The Election Commission has relaxed voter verification rules, allowing Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to collect documents at homes instead of mandatory hearings for unmapped records or logical discrepancies.
- •Hearings will now be held only in exceptional cases, preferably online, and authorized family members can appear on behalf of an elector.
- •Special help desks and camps will be arranged by District Election Officers (DEOs) for vulnerable groups like those in night shelters, laborers, and the homeless during the SIR process.
- •The EC has ordered a review of the ECINet system for compliance with election laws, to be conducted by a committee including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT.
- •Deadlines for filing claims and objections have been extended in Delhi (October 30, 2026) and Maharashtra (October 12), with disposal deadlines also pushed back, as the SIR exercise is completed in 20 States and UTs.
Key Questions Answered
The Election Commission announced that electors receiving notices over unmapped records or logical discrepancies no longer need to appear for a mandatory hearing before the Electoral Registration Officer. Instead, Booth Level Officers will visit homes to collect and upload required documents, while hearings will now occur only in exceptional cases and preferably online. Additionally, an authorized family member is allowed to appear on behalf of an elector.
In Delhi, the deadline for filing claims and objections has been extended to October 30, 2026, with the disposal deadline extended to November 30. In Maharashtra, claims and objections can be submitted until October 12, and the disposal deadline is extended to November 10, 2026.
A committee headed by a Senior Deputy Election Commissioner and including an independent expert from an IIT or IIIT will review the ECINet system. The review aims to examine the platform's compliance with election laws and procedures.
