In Uttarakhand, the Election Commission and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are preparing for a major challenge during the SIR (Special Summary Revision) process, especially in urban areas. A large number of voters still lack adequate awareness about electoral verification, and reaching every household to collect SIR forms is expected to be difficult. The election department is planning strategies to manage this task effectively.
Many voters in the state are enrolled in the voter list at two different locations—both in their native village and their current city of residence. Officials warn that if such individuals submit SIR forms from both places, they could face legal action. Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, providing false or misleading information in voter records is a punishable offence.
According to Section 31 of the Act, individuals with their names registered in voter lists at more than one location—or those submitting SIR forms from two places—can face up to one year of imprisonment or a monetary fine. To avoid legal consequences, voters must remove their names from one constituency before the SIR verification.
The Election Commission’s website offers an online facility to delete duplicate entries. Voters can fill Form-7 online to delete their name from one voter list. Since SIR has not yet officially begun in Uttarakhand, voters currently have time to complete the correction process.
