Acting on the directives of the Election Commission of India, the district administration appears to be in full ‘action mode’ regarding the ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) exercise, which is set to commence shortly in Punjab. To ensure the electoral process remains transparent and error-free, the current voter list is being cross-referenced with the historic voter list from the year 2003.
**Mapping Pace in Urban Areas Falls Below 65%**
To date, out of a total of 2,696,474 voters in Ludhiana district, the task of mapping and cross-referencing for approximately 70 percent—specifically 1,868,074 voters—has been successfully completed by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs). The primary objective of this special campaign is to verify the authenticity of voters’ identities and addresses, thereby eliminating any scope for electoral malpractice in the future. Providing details on the matter, Additional District Election Officer Poonam Singh stated that while the progress in the district’s rural areas is satisfactory, the pace of mapping in urban areas has been recorded at less than 65 percent. To address this shortfall, Election Registration Officers have been issued orders to make special efforts to expedite the process.
**Submission of Any One of 12 Specified Documents is Mandatory**
BLOs have been instructed to organize special camps at their respective booths and to conduct door-to-door verification drives to complete the task with urgency. The administration has appealed to the public to cooperate with the BLOs in this crucial undertaking and to provide the necessary requested documents so that the voter list can be fully updated. For the convenience of voters, the Election Commission has established seven distinct categories based on age. Voters aged 38 years or older whose names are already included in the 2003 voter list will not be required to submit any additional documents. Meanwhile, voters whose names were not included in the list at that time—or those aged between 18 and 37—are required to submit one of the 12 prescribed documents as proof, based on their age and parental records. The administration asserts that this mapping process will serve as a robust foundation for upcoming elections; therefore, every citizen should recognize their responsibility and participate actively in this verification process.
