Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated on Saturday that his party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), will ensure that no legitimate vote is removed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. Mann emphasized that any attempts to manipulate the voting process by creating “fake votes” for specific political parties would be met with vigilance. AAP leaders and workers will be present at every polling station alongside Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to oversee the process and prevent any irregularities.
Responding to inquiries regarding the SIR, Mann announced that the process would commence on June 15 in Punjab. He urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to address concerns raised by political parties about potential discrepancies in the electoral roll revision.
“We do not want negativity to spread in Punjab regarding the deletion of genuine votes or the creation of fake ones,” Mann stated. He assured reporters that no eligible citizen’s vote would be removed and that AAP intends to monitor the SIR closely. There have been widespread concerns from various states about the deletion of legitimate votes and manipulation during the verification process, fostering anxiety among citizens.
Mann urged the ECI to conduct the SIR transparently and address any complaints from political parties. He clarified that while it is necessary to remove the names of deceased individuals and those who have permanently moved abroad, no genuine resident of Punjab should face hindrance or denial of voting rights.
He revealed that nearly 83 percent of voter mapping has been completed in the state and called for citizens to actively participate in the verification process to protect their democratic rights. Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra indicated that as part of the SIR, BLOs would conduct door-to-door visits from June 25 to July 24 to collect voter information via forms.
For this initiative, a comprehensive election machinery has been mobilized, consisting of 24,453 BLOs and 2,476 supervisors. Mitra noted that training for BLOs and other preparations related to the SIR will take place from June 15 to June 24, with the intent of ensuring all eligible citizens are included in the electoral rolls while ineligible individuals are removed.
