The Election Commission of India has undertaken a massive cleanup of the voter lists in the Agra division, resulting in the removal of a staggering number of names. Following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, over 17 lakh voter names have been deleted from the draft electoral roll. This figure represents a significant 20% of the total voters previously listed for the division, which originally had over 88 lakh enrolled electors.
District-Wise Breakdown of Voter Deletions
Officials from the Election Commission stated that the deletions were necessary due to reasons such as death, migration to other areas, or duplication of entries. The impact has been most pronounced in the Agra district itself. Here, the voter count across nine assembly constituencies plummeted by 23%, from 36,00,071 to 27,63,128. This means 8.4 lakh names were removed, placing Agra among the top five districts in Uttar Pradesh for the highest number of deletions.
The revision exercise has significantly altered the electoral landscape of the entire division. The neighbouring district of Mathura saw its voter count fall from 19,47,368 to 15,73,575, a reduction of more than 3.7 lakh names. Other districts recorded substantial deletions as well:
- Firozabad: 3,44,752 names removed
- Etah: 2,20,426 names removed
- Kasganj: 1,72,238 names removed
Critical Deadlines and Voter Action Required
Agra District Magistrate Aravind Malappa Bangari has issued a crucial deadline for all citizens. He announced that the window for filing claims and objections will remain open until February 6. This is the last opportunity for voters to ensure their names are correctly listed. The final electoral roll is scheduled for publication on March 6.
"Notices are being issued to voters whose mapping remains incomplete," Bangari said. He clarified that only voters who submitted signed forms have been considered validly mapped for now. The DM provided clear instructions for different categories of voters. Those whose names already appear in the draft roll do not need to take any further action. However, eligible voters missing from the draft must fill and submit Form 6 to get enrolled.
For voters who have changed their residence and have already informed their Booth Level Officer (BLO), updating details is possible by using Form 8. Bangari urged all citizens to proactively verify their names online via the official Election Commission website, eci.net.
Final Call to Voters and Political Parties
The District Magistrate's message was clear and urgent. He reminded newly eligible voters, particularly young citizens, to check their inclusion in the draft list and submit Form 6 if necessary. For corrections in details like address or spelling, Form 8 should be used. The official emphasized that February 6 is the absolute last deadline for any corrections or inclusions before the final list is frozen.
Concluding his statement, Bangari added that the Election Commission has sought the continued cooperation of political parties in this extensive revision process. Their grassroots network is vital in spreading awareness and ensuring a clean, accurate final electoral roll for the upcoming democratic exercises in the region.
