Andhra, Meghalaya to get more time for SIR

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday extended the schedule for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya, according to an official press release.

The decision came at a full Commission bench meeting, the second in less than a week.

In Andhra Pradesh, the notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will now run from July 31 to October 10, and the final roll will be published on October 16. The state’s original schedule had put final publication at September 22. After the draft roll came out on July 31, the final roll was slated to be published on October 3. A later revision moved disposal of claims to October 5 and final publication to October 9.

In Meghalaya, final publication is now set for October 26. The claims and objections period there ended on September 18, and officials said more than 90% of hearings were complete. The press note did not mention the state’s earlier final-publication date.

The three commissioners last met in full on September 26, days after reports emerged that Sandhu and Joshi had objected to several SIR-linked decisions and orders. The reports triggered a political controversy, with Opposition parties questioning the Commission’s functioning. The previous meeting extended SIR deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra, and the EC reiterated that its major decisions were taken unanimously.