ElectoralRoll – Jharkhand Warns Against Fake Documents During Voter List Revision
ElectoralRoll – The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision in Jharkhand focuses on transparent voter verification while warning citizens against submitting forged documents.
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jharkhand has issued a strong warning against the use of forged or unauthorized documents during the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral rolls. Officials have directed district administrations to remain vigilant after reports surfaced from multiple districts indicating attempts to prepare fake certificates ahead of the verification exercise. Authorities have made it clear that anyone found producing or using fabricated documents will face legal action under the applicable laws.
Administration Asked to Act Promptly
In an official communication sent to all District Election Officers and Deputy Commissioners, Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar instructed local authorities to take immediate action wherever cases involving fake documentation are detected. The letter emphasized that maintaining the credibility of the voter verification process is a top priority and that strict enforcement measures are necessary to prevent any misuse of the system.
Officials have also been asked to spread public awareness through newspapers, digital platforms, social media, and other communication channels. Citizens have been advised not to obtain or submit any unauthorized certificates for inclusion in the electoral roll revision process.
Door-to-Door Verification Begins on June 30
The Special Intensive Revision will be conducted across Jharkhand from June 30 to July 29. During this period, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit households to collect and verify information by filling out enumeration forms. The exercise is intended to ensure that the electoral database accurately reflects eligible voters throughout the state.
According to election officials, training sessions for personnel involved in the revision process began on June 20 and will continue until June 29. The training aims to prepare field staff for the large-scale verification campaign and ensure uniform implementation across all districts.
Claims and Objections Schedule Finalised
Following the completion of field verification, citizens will have an opportunity to review the draft electoral roll. Claims and objections can be submitted between August 5 and September 4. Election authorities will examine all representations before releasing the final electoral roll, which is scheduled for publication on October 7.
The Election Commission said the structured timeline is designed to allow sufficient opportunity for corrections while ensuring the voter list is finalized well in advance of future electoral activities.
Focus on Inclusion and Public Awareness
Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar stated that the primary objective of the revision exercise is to ensure that every eligible Indian citizen is included in the electoral roll while preventing the inclusion of ineligible names. He stressed that an accurate and transparent voter database is essential for conducting free and fair elections.
To support the process, special volunteers will be deployed at polling stations to assist senior citizens, persons with illnesses, eligible voters from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and members of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. Their role will be to help individuals complete the necessary procedures without difficulty.
A statewide voter awareness campaign will also be organised on June 30 between 11 a.m. and noon through Chunav Pathshala and voter awareness forums. The programme is intended to educate citizens about the revision exercise and encourage active participation. The CEO also appealed to political parties to cooperate fully with election officials so that the state can prepare a reliable, transparent, and error-free electoral roll.