SIR in Bengaluru
In a representation to the CEO, Meeran, who has lived in Dubai since 1974, said several young NRIs, particularly from Udupi and Karwar, had approached him after their names were deleted or kept under objection during SIR.
CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka and national secretary Afreen Nawaz said their delegation had visited four govt schools in Bengaluru and found that the deployment of teachers for SIR duties had left only a small number available to conduct regular classes. “Teachers are for teaching, not for removing voters,” said Ranka. Drawing attention to disruption in classrooms during the SIR process, Cockroach Janatha Party (CJP) has demanded that the govt provide substitute teachers or make alternative arrangements to ensure learning is not affected.
He said some NRIs had contacted booth-level officers and were reportedly advised to travel to India before Sept 20 to produce additional documents relating to citizenship and other particulars. Because they cannot travel to India within a few weeks, the proposed extension, he said, would ensure eligible voters are not denied an opportunity to restore their names merely.
Many NRIs who have lived abroad for decades, he said, may not have easy access to old documents at short notice. Meeran suggested that NRIs be allowed to submit applications and available documents online for preliminary verification, with deficiencies clearly communicated to them. He also urged the authorities to explore verification through Indian missions and consulates abroad, wherever legally permissible.
They could then appear before the BLO concerned during their next visit to India within a year.