Ranchi, July 31: More than 43.68 lakh voters in Jharkhand have not submitted their enumeration forms during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the Election Commission attributing the low response largely to urban areas where voter mobility is comparatively higher.
According to the Election Commission, the names of these voters are likely to be excluded from the draft electoral roll scheduled for publication on August 5, subject to the claims and objections process.
Officials said the participation rate in the enumeration exercise was significantly higher in rural areas than in urban centres. Assembly constituencies such as Hatia, Ranchi, Bokaro, Dhanbad and Jamshedpur East, which had recorded relatively low voter turnout during the previous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, also witnessed a high number of voters who did not submit enumeration forms.
Chief Electoral Officer Ravi Kumar said rural residents displayed greater enthusiasm in completing the enumeration exercise.
“People in rural areas have shown greater interest in filling out and submitting enumeration forms than in urban areas,” Kumar said.
He added that the final figures relating to the exercise would be released on August 5.
“The figures will be released on August 5,” he said.
Explaining the disparity between rural and urban participation, Kumar said the number of voters falling under the ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Deceased and Duplicate) category was considerably higher in urban areas due to frequent migration and change of residence.
“The number of ASDD voters is lower in rural areas, while it is higher in urban areas. This is due to the greater movement of voters in urban areas, as people move from one place to another,” he said.
The Election Commission’s data showed that the ASDD category includes 7,63,930 deceased voters, 14,55,733 voters absent from their registered addresses, 15,92,960 shifted or transferred voters, 4,38,584 duplicate or previously registered voters, and 1,17,170 persons classified under the foreign nationals/other category.
Election officials clarified that voters whose names fall under these categories will have an opportunity to file claims and objections after the publication of the draft electoral roll on August 5, following which the Election Commission will scrutinise and dispose of all representations before finalising the electoral rolls.
