Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 17 (NationPress) The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) urgently called for the Election Commission's intervention regarding what they termed as significant confusion and widespread disruption stemming from the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of electoral rolls in the state. They cautioned that millions of genuine voters could face disenfranchisement if immediate corrective measures are not implemented.

A KPCC delegation, headed by Working President P.C. Vishnunath MLA, along with Vice Presidents M. Vincent MLA and Mathew Kuzhalnadan MLA, met with Chief Electoral Officer Ratan U. Kelkar to express their concerns thoroughly.

The Congress representatives accused the process of being flawed due to unscientific ward and booth delimitation, alongside numerous clerical errors, which have resulted in a chaotic environment for voters throughout Kerala.

They highlighted that the reorganization of wards and booths was done without proper geographical verification, leading to a situation where voters from a single booth are distributed across various locations.

This has led to considerable confusion and challenges, particularly for elderly voters and those residing in rural areas.

The KPCC delegation further claimed that voters were being subjected to unnecessary hardships under the pretense of hearings.

They demanded that voters should not be called for hearings due to clerical or software-related mistakes.

Additionally, individuals who presented valid documentation should not face hearings simply because their names are missing from the 2002 electoral rolls.

The delegation urged the Election Commission to promptly correct what they described as “unscientific booth delimitation” to avert further complications.

Stressing the seriousness of the issue, the KPCC team revealed that nearly 18 lakh voters have been omitted from the electoral rolls due to mismatches and discrepancies.

They argued that voters should not be penalized for errors stemming from faulty software entries or administrative mishaps by election authorities.

The delegation also called for consistent decisions and procedures related to the SIR process throughout the state, emphasizing the necessity for transparency at each phase.

Moreover, they requested the Chief Electoral Officer to closely supervise the actions of the officials involved in the revision process to guarantee that no political bias sways their decisions.

Warning that this matter strikes at the heart of democratic rights, they asserted that the party would persist in pursuing the issue until corrective actions are taken, affirming that safeguarding every eligible citizen’s right to vote must remain the Election Commission’s top priority.