The poll panel, in an order dated August 19, said the revised schedule was issued after considering a request from the Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer.
Under the new schedule, rationalisation and re-arrangement of polling stations will be completed by August 24, while the draft electoral roll will be published on August 31.
The document collection process in Maharashtra ended on August 17. The exercise involved house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and collection of enumeration forms from electors. The process had earlier been extended, with the Election Commission allowing additional time to complete the exercise.
The revised schedule now provides voters with a period from August 31 to September 30 to file claims and objections against the draft electoral roll. This is 26 days later than the earlier schedule, under which the draft was to be published on August 5, and claims and objections could be filed until September 4.
The notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will also run from August 31 to October 29. Under the original schedule, this process was to be carried out from August 5 to October 3.
The final electoral roll will be published on November 4, according to the revised schedule. The earlier deadline was October 7.The revised dates also defer the rationalisation of polling stations. It was originally scheduled to be completed by July 29 but will now be completed by August 24.
The original SIR schedule had provided for preparation, training and printing from June 20 to June 29, followed by house-to-house visits by BLOs from June 30 to July 29. These stages have now been completed, with the document collection process concluding on August 17.
The Election Commission said all concerned officials and officers should be informed about the revised schedule and that it should be widely publicised through all available media. Political parties are also to be informed about the modified schedule in writing.
The SIR is being undertaken with October 1 this year as the qualifying date for Maharashtra.
According to the information released by the CEO, Maharashtra has 9.78 crore electors, of whom 7.71 crore (78.85 per cent) submitted their filled and signed Enumeration Forms during house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers between June 30 and August 17.
The remaining 2.07 crore electors were categorised as “Uncollectable EF” after being found ineligible for inclusion in the Draft Electoral Roll as per prescribed norms and the factual situation. This is the final report of the SIR.
