BJD, Congress demand Odisha SIR transparency

The BJD and the Congress in Odisha Wednesday demanded absolute transparency in the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, an exercise which will start next month in the state after a gap of over 20 years.

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Both parties also announced that they would launch protests if a “Bihar-like exercise” is conducted in Odisha.

‘More than 65 lakh enumeration forms were “not included” in the draft electoral rolls prepared as part of the first phase of special intensive revision (SIR) by the Election Commission in Bihar, bringing down the total number of around 7.9 crore registered voters to 7.24 crore.

Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) RS Gopalan has said that all political parties in the state have been informed about the SIR, and preparations are underway to start the exercise in September.

As part of the revision, the number of polling booths across the state will increase from 38,000 to 45,000, ensuring better accessibility and voter convenience, he said.