Panaji, Jan 8 (NationPress) In the midst of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Goa, the office of the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) for the 26-Dabolim Assembly constituency has provided an official clarification concerning the enumeration form submitted for Congress Lok Sabha MP from South Goa, Captain Viriato Hipolito Mendonca Fernandes.

This clarification, released by the Joint Mamlatdar-III of Mormugao taluka, addresses procedural inadequacies that led to the form being designated as “unmapped” within the electoral system.

As per the official communication, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) for Part No. 19 collected the enumeration form during the SIR exercise. However, the form lacked essential details, such as the Assembly Constituency number, Part number, and the serial number in the electoral roll.

The absence of these critical identifiers prevented the system from linking the form with the existing electoral roll record of the elector. Consequently, according to standard operating procedures, the system flagged the form as “unmapped,” leading to the automatic generation and issuance of a hearing notice.

“The hearing notice was generated and issued automatically as per the prescribed procedure,” the clarification emphasized, noting that the action was procedural and not targeted at any individual.

This clarification comes amid allegations from MP Viriato Fernandes, who claimed to have received a notice from the Election Commission of India (ECI) requiring his in-person verification to maintain his name on the electoral rolls.

The South Goa MP, a former Navy officer, criticized the scrutiny of a sitting parliamentarian, suggesting it underscored the Opposition’s fears that the SIR exercise was being misused to systematically remove the names of genuine voters, potentially disenfranchising them and hindering their electoral participation.

In response to these claims, the electoral office reiterated that the “unmapped” status was due to incomplete information on the submitted form, and the process was fully automated in line with established guidelines.

Officials noted that the matter is under investigation, but no further details regarding the outcome or corrective measures have been disclosed.

This clarification aims to dispel rumors surrounding the notice delivered to the MP and confirm that the revision exercise is being conducted uniformly, without bias or selective targeting.

Officials also highlighted the importance of accurate data entry during electoral revision exercises, stating that even minor omissions can trigger automatic procedural actions within the system.

The clarification was made public through official channels, including platforms associated with the Dabolim Assembly constituency and the Chief Electoral Office, Goa.