Harshwardhan Sapkal
In a letter to Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam on Tuesday, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal said the current deadline of Oct 12 was impractical given multiple challenges affecting the revision process. The Oct 12 deadline is not sufficient in the present circumstances and should be extended by at least two months,” Sapkal said in the letter. MPCC vice-president Mohan Joshi said nearly 75% of Maharashtra was grappling with drought-like conditions, making water scarcity and relief measures a bigger priority than the voter revision drive.
The state Congress chief also raised concerns over technical glitches, particularly server connectivity issues, which he said were hampering the exercise. Further complicating the process, Sapkal said teachers deployed as booth-level officers (BLOs) were engaged in mid-term examinations. “With no immediate elections scheduled in the state, there is enough scope for ECI to extend the SIR deadline,” Joshi said. He said Congress planned to launch a protest against SIR, arguing that citizens were being compelled to focus on documentation requirements at a time when many regions were struggling with severe water distress. “The priority should be addressing the drought crisis rather than burdening people with the SIR process,” Joshi added.
Pune: State Congress has urged Election Commission of India (ECI) to extend the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by two months, citing procedural discrepancies, poor response rates and the worsening drought situation across large parts of Maharashtra. “With the Navaratra festival set to follow, voters and election staff will struggle to complete the exercise within the existing timeline.