Fresh voter enrolment after Aug 17 draft rolls

Pune: Eligible voters seeking fresh registration, transfer of enrolment to another constituency or inclusion of names missing from the electoral rolls will be able to apply only after the draft electoral rolls are published on Aug 17 when the claims and objections window opens under Special Intensive Revision, according to the revised schedule issued by Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office.Pune deputy election officer Minal Kalaskar said electors who were already on the rolls as of June 18 are covered under the current verification exercise. “Citizens eligible for fresh enrolment, including those who turned or will turn 18 years of age after June 18 and on or before the qualifying date of Oct 1, 2026, persons who have shifted their ordinary residence to another constituency, and those whose names are missing from the draft rolls can submit Form 6 along with the declaration form after the draft rolls are published on Aug 17,” she told TOI.This window will remain open up to Sept 16, after which the Electoral Registration Officers will dispose of claims before the final electoral rolls are published on Oct 19. Applications can be submitted to EROs, AEROs or at designated centres displaying the draft electoral rolls.Applicants between 18 and 21 years will have to furnish documentary proof of age, while those above 21 years can submit a declaration of age. Acceptable residence proof includes a passport, driving licence, ration card, bank or post office passbook, Income-Tax records and recent utility bills.________________________________No BLO visit? Here’s what voters can doPune: Deputy election officer Minal Kalaskar has advised voters not to wait until the deadline to fill up the enumeration forms. Several citizens reported that BLOs have yet to visit their homes and they were clueless about the enumeration forms.“The collectorate’s website has assembly constituency-wise lists of BLOs along with their cellphone numbers. Electors can identify the BLO assigned to their polling area and contact them directly if their enumeration form has not been delivered,” she said.Many BLOs said they visited housing societies and then organised camps in their clubhouses.“We have organised a camp close to societies. We have already intimated the members who can visit and submit their forms. But , many have not submitted them,” a BLO said.Another said he had called and reminded voters who were given the enumeration forms several times. “We can’t keep going to their houses,” he added.A BLO from Shivajinagar said he had finished his rounds of voter visits last week. “Many houses were locked so I dropped off my contact number with the neighbours or the security guards. I got some numbers from them and could contact many voters.”He usually waits inside a small temple close by with a few colleagues. “We are there from noon till about 6pm. We make several calls and urge voters to submit their forms. Some respond well, but most need much persuasion. Some even demand that we make home visits at their convenient time.” He said they will begin another round of home visits from Monday.