SIR poses verification challenge to past overseas residents, ex-servicemen

Pune: Verification of “mobile population” of the NIBM-Kondhwa-Undri area and linking them to the 2002 voters’ list under the SIR exercise are posing practical challenges to BLOs.A section of residents, including ex-servicemen or defence personnel transferred over the years and residents living abroad for years, can’t even recall if they voted in 2002. “Verification is becoming difficult for them because many of them don’t even remember where they voted in 2002,” said a BLO (block-level officer) in the area.An ex-military official said, “Almost 90% of the residents in our area have filled in the forms. Many had to attach the proof of residence because of living in different locations in the past. Residents who moved in after 2024 are facing challenges because their names are not in the election list in this location.”In several instances, BLOs had to establish whether a voter continues to reside at the registered address or is temporarily living elsewhere. “Verification is challenging for tenants or those in between transfers,” said another ex-military official.Voters whose cellphone numbers are not linked to EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) records are also finding the verification process difficult. “I tried to fill in the form online, but my cellphone number wasn’t linked, so I had to go to the booth,” said Laxmi M, a resident of Wanowrie.Srilatha Sriram, a resident of the NIBM Road area, said, “Our names were not in the voters’ list in 2002. We were in Mumbai then. We had to do our verification via our parents, who had voted in Chennai in 2002. We had to submit documentation of proof that we are related. For my son, we had to give his paternal grandfather’s details.”Alefiya Juzer, a resident of Kondhwa, said, “When I went to the booth, the BLO and BLAs (block-level agents) couldn’t find my name in the 2002 list because I was a minor then. They couldn’t find my parents’ names either because my father had passed away and my mother was not registered as a voter at that time. Eventually they asked me to submit my school leaving certificate.”There are some challenges around verification of people who lived abroad for many years and are now here. “Many of them don’t have voter ID details and some can’t trace family linkages,” a BLO in the area said.Amish Dalal, who had been living in Japan with his family for many years and recently moved back to India, said he didn’t even remember when he voted for the last time. “My parents have passed away and I don’t know if they voted in 2002.”Another resident of Undri, who recently moved back to India from Singapore, said, “The BLO was extremely helpful and even went the extra mile to help me. Finding old electoral details and the family records needed to establish the linkage was challenging.”