Chennai, Nov 24 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik on Monday said that 96.22 per cent SIR enumeration forms have been distributed in the state, of which approximately 50 per cent of the forms have been returned. She also ruled out extending the deadline for the exercise beyond December 4.
Patnaik was addressing a press conference at the Secretariat to discuss the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls and the controversies around it.
“There are 6.41 crore voters. Out of this, enumeration forms have been given by our BLOs (Booth Level Officers) door-to-door to 96.22 per cent (6.16 crore voters). This phase is referred to as the enumeration phase, which lasts until December 4. Approximately 50 per cent of the forms have been returned, and the digitisation process is ongoing,” Patnaik said.
According to her, approximately 2 lakh applications are processed online.
For Chennai particularly, Patnaik said of the 96.27 per cent enumeration forms distributed, 50 per cent were returned and digitisation stood at 33.59 per cent.
She also said there are approximately 83,256 officials, including her, who are working during the enumeration phase. The team is supported by nearly 33,000 volunteers.
Noting that Tamil Nadu has the highest number of political parties’ representatives or booth agents in India at 2,45,340, she dismissed allegations that DMK workers are threatening or controlling BLOs and Electoral Registration Officers.
“All these people are undertaking the exercise in a neat and correct manner to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out,” she added.
Patnaik also confirmed that senior Election Commission of India officials will be in Tamil Nadu from November 24 to 26 to review SIR implementation, district-level work and field-level challenges. PTI JR JR ROH
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