Meghalaya prepares for electoral roll update; special summary revision underway

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 27, 2023

The Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer, Dr. BDR Tiwari, announced on Thursday the commencement of the Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls in the state with reference to the qualifying date of 01.01.2024.

This revision process is being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and is carried out in two stages namely pre-revision activities and revision activity.

The Election Commission of India as per the existing policy conducts the Annual Summary Revision with reference to the 1st of January of the coming year as the qualifying date in the later part of each year in all States/UTs (normally in the last quarter of a year) so that final publication of electoral roll is made in the first week of January of the succeeding year.

This year, the ECI declared the Special Summary Revision on May 29, 2023, to be held with the qualifying date of 01.01.2024.

Pre-revision activities for the electoral rolls began in June 2023 and all the following activities were completed in mid-October, 2023. These activities included training sessions for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) on electoral laws and guidelines, including the use of the latest IT applications and systems. House-to-house verification was also conducted by BLOs, and polling stations were rationalized and re-arranged. The integrated draft roll was prepared with reference to the qualifying date.

Publication of the integrated draft electoral roll by October 27, period for filing claims and objections from October 27 to December 9, Special campaign dates for revision: November 11 and 18, Disposal of claims and objections by December 26 and Final publication of the electoral roll: January 5, 2024

Here’s a breakdown of the electorate in Meghalaya by district as of October 3, 2023:

West Jaintia Hills: Male – 98,741, Female – 105,290, Total – 204,031

Ri-Bhoi: Male – 95,988, Female – 95,837, Total – 191,825

East Khasi Hills: Male – 288,972, Female – 311,245, Total – 600,218

West Khasi Hills: Male – 63,025, Female – 62,038, Total – 125,063

East Garo Hills: Male – 53,849, Female – 51,433, Total – 105,282

West Garo Hills: Male – 182,743, Female – 183,905, Total – 366,649

South Garo Hills: Male – 51,394, Female – 48,590, Total – 99,984

East Jaintia Hills: Male – 47,119, Female – 48,696, Total – 95,816

South West Khasi Hills: Male – 36,949, Female – 36,683, Total – 73,632

North Garo Hills: Male – 69,380, Female – 66,677, Total – 136,057

South West Garo Hills: Male – 50,395, Female – 50,587, Total – 100,982

Eastern West Khasi Hills: Male – 42,451, Female – 44,161, Total – 86,612

Total Electorate: Male – 1,081,006, Female – 1,105,142, Third Gender – 3, Total – 2,186,151

In addition to this, the state has seen changes in its polling stations. During the General Elections to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, there were 3,482 polling stations. In the Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls in 2024, 32 new polling stations are proposed, and 2 polling stations are set to be merged, resulting in a total of 30 newly created polling stations. This brings the total number of polling stations in the state to 3,512.

Various forms for claims and objections are available for the convenience of voters, such as Form 6 for new voters, Form 6A for overseas Indian electors, Form 6B for Aadhaar number information, Form 7 for objections to proposed inclusions or deletions in the electoral roll, and Form 8 for shifting of residence or correction of entries.

Voters can file claims and objections online through the ECI portal or the official website of the Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya. Offline options include visiting the office of the District Election Officer, the Electoral Registration Officer, or the Booth Level Officer at polling stations. Special campaign dates on November 11 and 18, 2023, are designated for these activities at polling stations.

To be enrolled in the electoral roll, voters need to provide proof of residence, proof of age, and a photograph.

The BLAs, along with Booth Level Officers, will play an essential role during the special campaign dates on November 11 and 18, 2023. They will help identify corrections, list out deceased and shifted voters, and motivate electors to participate in the revision process.