Enumeration forms should be submitted 'preferably' with documents of proof: EC tells Bihar voters

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday said voters in the state should submit their Enumeration Forms “preferably” with documents for proof to get their names included in the draft rolls by July 25 .

In case, it said in a statement, any voter who needs more time to submit the eligibility documents can submit them separately till August 30, the last date of filing claims and objections and take help of volunteers as well.

This would mean that all voters who submit their Enumeration Forms even without documents would find their names in the draft electoral rolls but would have to submit the proof by August 30 to get their names in the final electoral roll.

The EC said it has established direct contact with nearly all voters in Bihar and 80.11% electors have already submitted their Enumeration Forms.

"Having completed 100% printing and near completion of distribution of EFs to all electors who were found at their addresses, as of 6 PM today (Saturday) collection crossed 6,32,59,497 or 80.11%, which means four out of every five electors in Bihar has submitted the EF. With this pace, majority of EFs are likely to be collected much before July 25," it said.

"In order to get their names included in the draft electoral rolls to be published on 1st Aug, electors have to submit their EFs, preferably, along with eligibility documents. In case, any elector needs more time to submit the eligibility documents, he can submit them separately till 30 Aug i.e. the last date of filing claims and objections and take help of volunteers as well," it said.

It also said the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have already digitised and uploaded 4.66 crore Enumeration Forms in ECINet.

Hearing petitions challenging the SIR exercise in Bihar, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the EC to consider Aadhaar cards, voters ID card and ration cards as valid documents in its special intensive revision of electoral rolls, being undertaken in Bihar ahead of assembly polls in November.