Congress draws attention to loopholes in voter support centers

The party urged the ECI to direct the Director General to set up facilitation centers in each polling area, ensure they are adequately staffed, continue door-to-door distribution until every eligible household is covered and extend the deadline for submission of forms until full coverage is achieved. | Photo credit: File Photo

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately strengthen voter facilitation measures for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying administrative lapses could lead to exclusion of genuine voters.

In an affidavit submitted to the Chief Election Commissioner by Ramesh Babu, media and communications chairman of the KPCC and MLC, the party alleged that the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, has failed to set up adequate voter facilitation centers to assist voters in obtaining, filling and submitting census forms.

The Congress said that though the SIR exercise began with booth level officers (BLOs) conducting house-to-house visits from June 30, nearly half of the eligible households had not received the census forms halfway through the exercise. She argued that many voters were unable to submit their forms due to administrative deficiencies rather than fault on their part.

Extend the deadline

The party urged the ECI to direct the Director General to set up facilitation centers in each polling area, ensure they are adequately staffed, continue door-to-door distribution until every eligible household is covered and extend the deadline for submission of forms until full coverage is achieved.

The representation demanded that no voter should be struck out merely because the enumeration form could not be submitted due to non-delivery of the forms or lack of facilitation. It further demanded a state-wide monitoring mechanism, district grievance redressal centres, daily publication of district progress in distribution and collection of forms and special assistance for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and rural voters.

Published – 13 Jul 2026 21:46 IST