Odisha Launches Comprehensive Voter Roll Revision with Massive Outreach

In a broad voter registration effort, more than 45,000 booth-level officers have embarked on a door-to-door survey in Odisha. Starting on Saturday, the survey forms part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, according to the state's Chief Electoral Officer, R S Gopalan.

The initiative was launched from Puri, where these officers will canvas all 147 assembly areas from May 30 to June 28. Residents are required mainly to sign forms, with approximately 75% of them not needing additional documentation, ensuring genuine citizens face no hindrance, Gopalan noted.

Officers distribute and assist with enumeration forms, verifying personal and family details, all while updating connections with the 2002 roll records. They aim to complete work before noon owing to the heat, and finalize corrections in voter data accuracy.

With the draft electoral list due on July 5 and the final version slated for September 6, the exercise is further bolstered by 33,000 booth-level agents from political parties. Sudarsan Pattnaik's sand art installation in Puri aims to raise awareness of the SIR process among the populace.

(With inputs from agencies.)