Retired Admiral Arun Prakash, a former Chief of Naval Staff and decorated war veteran, along with his wife, have been served notices by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Goa. The notices demand they submit additional documentation to establish themselves as registered electors during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls.
War Veteran Marked 'Unmapped'
Admiral Prakash, who settled in Goa after his retirement and is a recipient of the Vir Chakra, has been categorised as 'unmapped' in the electoral process. The couple had previously filled out and submitted the required SIR enumeration forms and found their names listed in the Goa Draft Electoral Roll 2026 published online. However, the recent notice stated that upon scrutiny, it was observed that certain details were not filled in that could establish them as registered electors from the previous SIR exercise.
"My wife and I have been asked to appear before ECI officials on two separate dates, and we shall comply with their request. The language of the notice is quite complicated and difficult to understand," Admiral Prakash told The Indian Express.
Procedural Hurdles for Elderly Couple
Expressing his concerns on social media platform X, the 82-year-old veteran highlighted several procedural issues. He pointed out that a Booth Level Officer (BLO) had visited them three times and could have sought the additional information at that time. He also questioned the need for him and his 78-year-old wife to appear on two different dates at a location 18 kilometres away.
"I neither need nor have ever asked for any special privileges since retirement 20 years ago," Admiral Prakash stated in his post, affirming their intention to comply with the EC notices despite the inconvenience.
Background: Large-Scale Deletions in Goa Rolls
This incident occurs against the backdrop of a massive revision exercise in Goa. Official data reveals that over 1 lakh names have been deleted from the draft electoral rolls, marking a deletion rate of 8.44%. The breakdown of the 1,00,042 deleted electors includes:
- 25,574 deceased persons.
- 29,729 classified as untraceable or absent.
- 40,469 who have permanently moved.
- 1,997 enrolled at multiple places.
- 2,273 listed under 'others'.
A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that the notice to Admiral Prakash was issued because no record of the couple was found in the 2002 electoral rolls, when the last SIR was conducted in Goa. The official added that some details in their recent enumeration form were left blank, prompting the notice.
This is not an isolated case. Last week, South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes, also a retired naval officer and Kargil war veteran, received a similar notice from the ECI asking him to submit documents to prove his identity to retain his name in the electoral roll. The office of Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer, Sanjay Goel, did not respond to requests for comment on these specific cases.
