Shillong: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday assured that the upcoming revision of Meghalaya’s electoral rolls will be carried out with care so that genuine voters are not inconvenienced, while preventing ineligible names from finding their way into the list.
The assurance came during a discussion in the Autumn Session of the Assembly after Opposition members raised concerns about irregularities in enrolment.
Responding to a cut motion, Sangma said a supplementary demand of around Rs. 5 lakh had been placed before the House, mainly to pay higher honorarium to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and for the upkeep of Electronic Voting Machines, as instructed by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The chief minister informed that the ECI has ordered a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list.
Unlike routine revisions, the SIR will involve house-to-house verification, re-serialisation of polling stations, training for BLOs, and awareness drives.
The process will also include publication of draft rolls, followed by claims, objections, and appeals before finalisation.
Sangma clarified that voters enrolled in the 2003 electoral rolls will not have to submit fresh documents, but those added after January 2003 will need to provide proof of eligibility.
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He acknowledged the concerns of legislators Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit and Miani D. Shira, noting that migration, urbanisation, and gaps in deletion of outdated records have created scope for duplication.
Calling the exercise “difficult and complicated,” Sangma stressed that the government would ensure a balanced approach.
“We will not allow non-residents or ineligible persons to be included,” he said, “and at the same time, we will see that genuine citizens are not harassed.”
He added that the state government, working closely with the ECI, is committed to addressing the concerns of both lawmakers and the public in the course of the special revision.
