Political parties across Goa have actively engaged in the crucial process of revising the state's electoral rolls, submitting thousands of formal claims and objections. This exercise, known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), is a key step to prepare an accurate voter list ahead of the upcoming 2027 state assembly elections.
BJP Takes the Lead in Submitting Claims
According to the latest data released by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Saturday, political parties collectively filed a total of 2,821 claims through their appointed booth level agents (BLAs). The period for submitting these claims and objections commenced on December 16.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a significant lead in this process, submitting 1,574 claims. The primary opposition, the Indian National Congress, follows with 1,035 claims. Other regional players have also participated, with the Revolutionary Goans party submitting 170 claims and the Goa Forward Party filing 42 claims.
Citizen Participation and the Scale of the Revision
Beyond the political machinery, individual citizens have also shown active involvement in shaping the final electoral roll. During the current phase, the election authorities received 1,050 individual applications for inclusion (using Form 6/6A) directly from voters. Additionally, 63 applications for the exclusion of names (Form 7) were submitted by the public.
The scale of the revision is substantial. The draft electoral roll, which was published earlier, already contains approximately 1.08 lakh electors. Prior to the publication of this draft roll, the authorities had already received 4,463 Form 6 applications for addition and 948 Form 7 applications for deletion, which are being processed separately.
Process, Deadlines, and Important Clarifications
The window for filing claims and objections is open and will continue until January 15. This provides ample opportunity for all eligible voters to ensure their names are correctly listed. The BLAs, authorized by political parties, play a vital role in collecting these claims from the public.
However, the CEO's office has issued a crucial clarification to ensure the process's integrity. It stated that generic complaints submitted without the prescribed forms or necessary declarations will not be counted as valid claims or objections. Furthermore, names will be added to the final electoral roll only after obtaining all required declarations from the applicants, ensuring due diligence.
All received applications are now under scrutiny by the respective electoral registration officers. The final, cleaned-up electoral roll will be a foundational document for the democratic process when Goa goes to the polls in 2027.
