An awareness programme on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls was organised by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner & District Election Officer, Kohima, at DC’s Conference Hall on August 6 for Nodal Officers, Campus Ambassadors and Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs). The programme was held on the theme, “No eligible citizen is left out. No ineligible person is included.”
Assistant Election Officer, Kohima, Chisho Swu, while addressing the participants, highlighted the important role of educational institutions in promoting electoral literacy and ensuring accurate dissemination of information on the Special Intensive Revision.
He observed that in the age of social media, information spreads rapidly and students, with their strong sense of justice and enthusiasm, can play a significant role in strengthening democratic values when equipped with accurate information.
He stated that Campus Ambassadors serve as a vital link between the Election Department and educational institutions by creating awareness on voter enrolment, encouraging eligible students to register as voters and coordinating with election officials. He also urged Nodal Officers to mentor Campus Ambassadors and organise activities under Electoral Literacy Clubs to promote greater awareness on electoral processes.
During the programme, Chisho gave a detailed presentation on the district’s election profile, including polling stations, elector profile and Assembly Constituency-wise mapping. He explained the need for the Special Intensive Revision, noting that the last intensive revision of electoral rolls in Nagaland was conducted in 2004.
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He stated that electoral rolls are required to be revised before every election and whenever necessary under the provisions of law. Since 1951, intensive revision has been carried out around ten times until 2004.
The presentation highlighted that the Special Intensive Revision has been undertaken in view of issues affecting the quality of electoral rolls, including frequent migration resulting in multiple enrolments, non-deletion of deceased voters and wrongful inclusion of ineligible persons.
Explaining the revision process, he informed that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct house-to-house visits to distribute partially pre-filled Enumeration Forms to existing electors and assist them in completing the forms. In cases where houses are found locked, BLOs will leave the forms along with a notice indicating the next visit and contact details, and will make three visits to collect the completed forms.
Electors may also download the pre-filled forms and submit them online through the Election Commission’s voter portal or the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland website. BLOs will issue an acknowledgement upon receipt of the completed Enumeration Form.
The participants were also briefed on the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the electoral roll and the responsibilities of stakeholders in ensuring that every eligible citizen is enrolled while preventing the inclusion of ineligible persons. A total of 12 schools and 9 colleges participated in the awareness programme.
