Pune: State election officials will exercise extra care while processing Form 7 applications seeking deletion of names from the draft electoral roll, with every objection verified before a decision is made, officials told TOI on Tuesday.The directions have been conveyed to collectors and commissioners across Maharashtra before 1.22 crore notices are sent to unmapped voters and those with logical discrepancies. The possibility of large-scale filing of Form 7 applications during the claims-and-objections period has prompted the instructions.In Jharkhand, BLOs in Godda district raised concern about bulk Form 7 applications seeking deletion of voters’ names, prompting district election authorities to order an inquiry. A BJP booth-level agent in Godda was arrested after an FIR alleged that he had submitted around 200 Form 7 applications seeking deletion of voters’ names. He was subsequently released on bail.“Form 7 objections have to be dealt with strictly as per the prescribed procedure and every request seeking deletion of a name has to be properly verified before a decision is made,” election officials said.While preparing the draft roll under SIR, booth-level officers went from door to door, collected enumeration forms and verified electors’ residence. Therefore, names included in the draft roll, subject to submission of documents in cases involving anomalies and non-mapping, are prima facie valid electors.“If a Form 7 is received seeking deletion of the name of any elector from the draft electoral roll, it is necessary to make a decision only after verifying the name as per the provisions applicable to the SIR exercise,” a senior election official told TOI.The instructions specify that only an elector of the concerned assembly constituency can file Form 7 when objecting to a name included in the draft roll or seeking its deletion.The directions refer to Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, read with Rule 19, under which the ERO is required to conduct an appropriate inquiry in cases where notices have been issued.Under Rule 20(3), the ERO may require the claimant, objector or person against whom the objection has been raised to appear personally. The officer may also require evidence to be given on oath and administer an oath for that purpose. The ERO will decide during the hearing whether any of the parties needs to appear personally and whether evidence should be recorded on oath.The directions also specifically cover Form 7 objections alleging that an elector is not an Indian citizen. Officials said mapping with previous SIR enrolment was carried out according to the citizenship of the concerned person.“If an objection is received through Form 7 seeking deletion of a name on the ground that the person objected to is not an Indian citizen, officials have been directed to take action as per Para 6.4.2 of the manual of electoral roll-2023. The provision states that the onus of proof shall initially lie on the objector in such cases,” the official said.Officials stressed that filing Form 7 does not automatically lead to deletion of a voter’s name. The objection must be examined, the prescribed inquiry conducted and relevant evidence considered before a decision is made.“The Jharkhand episode has brought safeguards around Form 7 into sharper focus. In Godda, officials flagged bulk submissions and ordered an inquiry, while the arrest of a booth-level agent followed an allegation that around 200 deletion applications had been submitted. We will be carrying this out very carefully,” said an ERO from Pune city.
