Bhubaneswar: A state-level preparatory meeting was held on Tuesday to review arrangements for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, which will begin in Odisha on May 30.
The meeting was chaired by State Chief Electoral Officer R. S. Gopalan and attended by nodal officers, Deputy Collectors (Elections), and District Information and Public Relations Officers (DIPROs) from all districts.
During the meeting, the Chief Electoral Officer directed district-level officials to ensure that the SIR exercise is conducted in an efficient, transparent, and error-free manner. He stressed the need to streamline key processes, including new voter registration, correction of entries, and migration, so that eligible voters are not left out of the revised electoral roll.
Officials were also instructed to make the door-to-door enumeration process simple, systematic, and free from misinformation. The CEO emphasised that special attention must be given to maintaining transparency during field-level verification activities under the SIR.
The meeting also reviewed measures to curb the spread of misinformation and rumours on social media during the revision exercise. District Information and Public Relations Officers were directed to closely monitor online platforms and promptly counter any false or misleading content related to the voter list revision.
To improve accessibility, officials informed that all enumeration forms under the SIR will be made available in Odia, enabling easier understanding for voters across rural and urban areas. Public awareness initiatives will also be intensified to ensure citizens provide accurate information during the door-to-door survey.
The toll-free Election Helpline 1950 will be widely publicised to assist voters. Through this service, citizens can obtain information related to the revision process and request assistance or a call back from their respective Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
The Chief Electoral Officer also reviewed coordination mechanisms between district administrations and the Election Department. Deputy Collectors (Elections) and nodal officers were directed to ensure better inter-departmental coordination for smooth implementation of the SIR process.
District officials were further instructed to expedite online application processing and strengthen the functioning of Booth Level Officers to ensure timely completion of the exercise.
The meeting was attended by CEO R. S. Gopalan, Deputy CEOs Dr. Laxmi Prasad Sahu and other officials from the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer.
