Ranchi: Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) on Tuesday expressed concern over the rising number of voters included in the ASDD list during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and sought an extension of the verification exercise.A delegation led by state Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh met Chief electoral officer K Ravi Kumar and submitted a memorandum outlining the party’s objections.Congress claimed that 40,04,817 voters were placed in the ASDD category till July 27. The enumeration phase is scheduled to end on Wednesday, while the draft electoral roll will be published on Aug 5.Party functionaries said the growing number of voters on the list, especially those classified as “absent,” was worrying. According to them, constituencies such as Ranchi, Hatia, Kanke, Dhanbad, Bokaro and Jamshedpur West had between 75,000 and 1.15 lakh such voters each.The party also cited logistical difficulties in Deoghar and adjoining districts because of the Shravani Mela, which begins on July 30. It said residents and administrative personnel would remain occupied with the month-long event, affecting the revision exercise.Congress further alleged that booth-level officers at several places were collecting enumeration forms without giving voters signed acknowledgement receipts.“The large ASDD list and non-publication of the unmapping list are putting unnecessary pressure on voters,” party spokesperson Kishorenath Shahdeo said.Congress sought extensions of the enumeration phase and the subsequent notice and hearing process. Shahdeo claimed officials assured the delegation that, after assessing the situation, a proposal for a 15-day extension beyond Aug 5 would be sent to the Election Commission.
