Voter mapping in Pb crosses 55% mark; SAS Nagar and Ludh dists at bottom of list

Patiala: Under the initial phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, voter list mapping in Punjab crossed 55%, with names of nearly 1.18 crore voters out of the state's 2.14 crore electorate successfully matched with the 2003 SIR voter list, Chief Election Officer (CEO) Anindita Mitra said. However, district-wise data showed sharp disparities in mapping progress, prompting the Election Commission to issue specific instructions to speed up the process in lagging areas.In Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali), voter mapping was the lowest in the state at 39.77%, followed by Ludhiana at 48.36% and Patiala at 48.41%, according to official data. In Patiala district, mapping stood at 48.41% overall, while it was 37% in Patiala rural and 25% in Patiala city. Election officials directed staff to prioritise mapping in these areas. An election officer in Patiala attributed the slower pace to a high number of migrants, urban expansion and new settlements, which made historical matching more complex. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were instructed to temporarily step away from other assignments and focus exclusively on voter mapping.Moga district recorded the highest mapping at 65.73%, followed by Mansa at 65.52%, Rupnagar at 64.03%, Barnala at 63.51% and Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar at 63.31%. Other districts showing relatively strong progress included Pathankot at 62.58%, Amritsar at 61.46% and Sri Muktsar Sahib at 61.25%. BLOs said record verification for married women emerged as one of the most time-consuming aspects of the exercise. In many cases, voter lists mentioned a woman's husband's name instead of her parents' names, complicating matching with the 2003 rolls. Surname changes or variations in names after marriage required careful cross-verification. Voters who turned 18 after 2003 were verified through their parents' names in the older voter list, increasing the workload. The issue gained national attention after the chief minister of West Bengal raised concerns in the Supreme Court, saying married women risked being excluded due to surname changes. The state govt opposed undue haste in completing such exercises, seeking adequate time for proper verification.Election officials said voters whose names or whose parents' names matched the 2003 voter list would not be required to submit any documents. Mitra said voter mapping across Punjab was increasing steadily and districts showing slower progress were being closely monitored. "Reasons for slow mapping are being identified, and all necessary arrangements are being put in place. A significant improvement is expected over the next few days," she said. The Election Commission reiterated that the accuracy of electoral rolls remained the top priority, even as efforts intensified to complete the SIR process efficiently.MSID:: 127938037 413 |