Did ECI check TN’s elector-population ratio?

As per ECI manual, health checks must be done while revising poll rolls; high deletions in urban areas defy migration pattern

- PON VASANTH B A @Chennai

THE Election Commission of India, in its communication on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, cited several reasons for cleaning up the rolls, which included rapid urbanisation in the past 20 years and related migrations.

No one has disputed this need or the fact that the electoral rolls were inflated. However, the electors present in the draft SIR rolls in Tamil Nadu suggested that while ECI was keen to trim the roll, it did not pay adequate attention to check what should be the appropriate number of electors in the rolls.

ECI’s Manual on Electoral Rolls (2023) mandates detailed health checks while revising electoral rolls. A key parameter is the elector-population ratio (EPR), to check if the number of electors on the rolls is closely matching the number of eligible voters (population in the 18 or above age group).

The commission has standard reporting formats to ensure checks at least at the district-level and the state-level (Format 3A and Format 3 respectively as per ECT’s reporting formats).