The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday, 2 September formally urged Maharashtra State Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam to extend the deadline for submitting claims and objections under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive to 30 November 2026, citing widespread voter exclusions and procedural gaps that it says threaten the integrity of the state's electoral rolls.

Scale of Voter Exclusions

According to data cited in the formal representation submitted to the CEO, out of Maharashtra's total registered voter base of 9,78,54,049, names of 2,06,88,487 voters — amounting to 21.14 per cent — have been excluded from the draft electoral roll under the 'ASDD – Uncollectable' category, which covers voters classified as Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate.

The current draft list retains 7,71,65,562 voters, representing 78.86 per cent of the registered base. However, the MPCC contends that even this list contains a significant number of entries flagged as 'Anomalies' and 'Unmapped' voters, raising further concerns about accuracy and completeness.

Key Demands Raised by Congress

State Congress General Secretary Sandesh Kondvilkar submitted the formal representation, outlining several critical demands. The party argued that the current window of 31 August to 30 September for filing claims and objections is inadequate, particularly given the Ganeshotsav festival period during which many citizens travel away from their registered constituencies.

The MPCC has demanded that a complete booth-wise list of voters identified under the 'Anomalies' and 'Unmapped' categories — those scheduled to receive notices — be published immediately and shared with representatives of all political parties. It also insisted that notices to voters who submitted enumeration forms be delivered physically in person, rather than solely through digital platforms such as WhatsApp.

The party further demanded that hearings be organised at respective local polling stations rather than being restricted to just three to four centralised locations per Assembly constituency — a practice it said places an undue burden on voters, particularly the elderly.

Procedural Reforms Sought

The Congress argued that minor spelling variations between English and Marathi transliterations of voter names should not be classified as 'Anomalies.' It called for clear operational guidelines on correcting such anomalies without subjecting voters to formal notices.

On the ASDD category, the party stated that if a voter listed under this classification re-claims their status, verification should be conducted directly through the Booth Level Officer (BLO) or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO), without calling them for redundant formal hearings. Independent desks for fresh registrations — providing Form-6, Declaration forms, and Form 8 — were also demanded, along with clear guidelines on the maximum number of applications a Booth Level Agent (BLA) can submit at one time.

The representation also called for written orders stating official grounds to be issued to voters within two days of a rejected claim or objection, enabling timely appeals. Senior citizens served with notices were to be granted priority during hearing sessions.

Ground-Level Non-Compliance Flagged

Kondvilkar noted numerous complaints regarding non-compliance with Election Commission of India directives by BLOs and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers at the ground level. Despite prior representations and discussions in all-party meetings, the MPCC said several of these concerns remain unaddressed.

The Congress has requested regular information-sharing with political party representatives to ensure no eligible citizen is disenfranchised, saying it is essential to restore public faith in the electoral revision process. With the deadline extension demand now formally on record, the Election Commission's response is expected to shape the next phase of the SIR exercise in Maharashtra.