Kolkata: Bengal CEO's office received over 1.7 lakh new applications for inclusion of new names since Dec 16, an official said. He said that most of these were online applications for inclusion through Form 6.
Number of Bengal voters, ahead of the start of SIR, was 7.6 crore. Now, with the deletion of over 55 lakh voters for being absent, dead, shifted, or for having duplicate cards, the estimated figure of voters is expected to be much less than 7.6 crore, an official said.
Earlier, due to the enumeration process until Dec 16, inclusion of names was kept on hold, he said, adding that many had applied online. According to him, many voters who had mapping problems were now applying through Form 6 for inclusion of their names.
"We are encouraging all citizens who are 18-plus to enrol, and for that, the ECI Net App or voters' portal is the best way. However, one with a name in one constituency should apply for shifting while changing address instead of applying for a new EPIC by applying through Form 6. It has come to us that even a number of govt officers who are on transferable jobs are applying for a second EPIC while posted away from home, but it is an offence."
"We are also asking all voters whose family members passed away to apply for deleting names by applying through Form 7."
The new voter enrolment process has undergone some significant changes from application forms to hearing.
For the first time, EC has mandated new applicants to furnish Annexure- IV, a declaration form, which is quite similar to Annexure- III, the SIR form, along with Form- 6 for inclusion of their names in the electoral roll of Bengal. For new applications, EC has also made it mandatory to submit one or more of the 12 documents notified by the EC as proof of DoB, address and citizenship and made it clear that Aadhaar will be accepted as only proof of identity.