EC gives voters excluded from draft rolls in 7 states another chance to apply

The Election Commission has changed the process for voters classified as Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate, or ASDD. If they received enumeration forms but were excluded from the draft electoral roll, they must be given another opportunity to appear in the final roll. This matters because an eligible voter can otherwise remain excluded after an administrative classification.

For example, an ASDD voter who moved within the same state does not need to file Form-8. Instead, the voter submits an enumeration form with Annexure-C, giving the new address and assembly constituency. Voters who already filed Form-6 for fresh enrolment during the SIR need not submit these documents again.

The EC has ordered fresh partially filled forms in the ECINET dashboards. Officials must contact affected voters through BLOs, political-party BLAs and available communication channels. The process aims to restore eligible names without allowing duplicate enrolments.

The Election Commission’s directive applies in seven states and territories named in the report: Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana and Nagaland. Together, they represent seven covered jurisdictions for this additional opportunity during the Special Intensive Revision.

The measure concerns electors who received enumeration forms but were absent from the draft rolls after being classified as Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate. For instance, an eligible voter in Telangana or Delhi who was marked under one of these categories can still be contacted and considered for the final roll.

The number matters because the EC has not announced a nationwide change in this statement. It has specifically directed officials in these seven places to create monitoring arrangements, regenerate partially filled forms and reach affected electors. The same process also seeks to prevent duplicate enrolments.

A Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, is a detailed review and updating exercise for electoral rolls. In this article, it involves enumeration forms, checks on voter status and preparation of a draft roll before the final roll. Its purpose is to make the list more accurate by identifying eligible electors and dealing with records that may be absent, shifted, dead or duplicated.

The process can be seen in the EC’s treatment of ASDD voters. Officials are regenerating partially filled enumeration forms in the ECINET dashboard. They are also instructed to contact voters through Booth Level Officers and, where possible, WhatsApp, email or SMS. A voter who moved within the state submits updated address details through the prescribed process.

The article describes the SIR as ongoing in seven jurisdictions. The next step is processing eligible claims for the final electoral rolls, while monitoring systems and field outreach are intended to reduce exclusion and duplicate enrolment.

An eligible voter may be left out because officials classified the record as Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate. The article calls this group ASDD. This classification happened even for electors who had been issued enumeration forms. Their names therefore did not appear in the draft electoral roll, creating a need for another verification opportunity.

For example, a voter who had shifted residence could be treated as shifted in the records, even though the person remained eligible. The EC now requires such a voter who moved within the same state to submit an enumeration form with Annexure-C, showing the new address and assembly constituency. Someone who already filed Form-6 need not repeat the submission.

The EC is regenerating partially filled forms and directing officials to contact these electors. BLOs may use house visits, neighbours, family members, RWAs, phone numbers and electronic channels to locate them and support correction.

An ASDD-marked voter who has moved to another address within the same state must submit an enumeration form along with the statement in Annexure-C. The statement must indicate the voter’s new address and assembly constituency. This is the specific route the Election Commission has prescribed for such cases.

The key change is that Form-8 is not required for this within-state move. For example, a voter excluded from the draft roll as shifted can provide the updated location through the enumeration form and Annexure-C instead of filing Form-8. The documents help officials connect the voter to the correct address and constituency.

There is also an exemption for voters who already submitted Form-6 for fresh enrolment during the SIR. They do not need to submit the enumeration form and statement again. Their applications will be processed under the EC’s November 3 clarification.

Booth Level Officers, or BLOs, are expected to lead efforts to reconnect eligible ASDD-marked electors with the enrolment process. The EC has directed them to coordinate with Booth Level Agents of various political parties. This creates a wider local network for finding voters who were missing from the draft roll.

The practical mechanism is highly local. BLOs and BLAs may make house-to-house visits and ask neighbours, family members and Resident Welfare Associations for information. They can also use available phone numbers. Officials must deliver partially filled enumeration forms physically or through WhatsApp, email or SMS when contact details exist.

This outreach is intended to turn a classification into a fresh opportunity for inclusion. The EC has also ordered monitoring systems for the process. At the same time, officials must check applications carefully so that reaching more voters does not create duplicate enrolments in the final rolls.

An electoral roll must include every eligible voter because exclusion from the final list can prevent that person’s participation in the electoral process. The Election Commission’s directive recognises that voters classified as ASDD may still need a chance to prove or update their eligibility. Accurate inclusion therefore matters for fairness and public confidence in the roll.

At the same time, duplicate registrations can make the list unreliable. The EC has ordered officials to create a monitoring mechanism that prevents duplicate enrolments while ensuring that no eligible voter is denied an opportunity. The ASDD process illustrates this balance: officials regenerate forms, check addresses and contact voters, but also verify records before final inclusion.

The current exercise uses BLOs, party BLAs, local enquiries and electronic communication to reach affected people. Its forward implication is a final roll that is more responsive to legitimate corrections without simply adding unverified or repeated entries.