NT Reporter
Margao
South Goa Collector and District Election Officer (DEO) Egna Cleetus on Monday said that Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) are accepting any of the twelve documents stipulated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the enumeration forms during the ongoing voter verification process. Her clarification follows several complaints from voters across various Assembly constituencies alleging that AEROs were insisting only on passports or birth certificates for verification of unmapped voters’ names. These unmapped voters, who were served notices by the DEO, are required to submit documents proving their eligibility to be included in the mapped voter list.
Several voters have also sought an extension of the Special Intensive Revision period by fifteen days, until January 31.
“It is incorrect to assert that the AEROs are demanding only birth certificates or passport copies during the voter verification process. They may have requested birth certificate copies as it is a document that most voters possess,” said Cleetus, adding that the intention was not to harass any citizen. She said that voter hearings are being conducted from morning till evening and that all AEROs will be instructed to facilitate hearings in the evening to accommodate voters’ schedules.
“I will also establish a special counter at the South Goa Collectorate to assist senior citizens and persons with mobility challenges, who may provide us with an authority letter accompanied by photographic evidence,” she said.
Responding to demands for an extension of the hearing period, Cleetus said the decision rests with the ECI.
However, sources said that since printing and distribution of notices commenced only after Christmas, there is a possibility that the ECI may extend the hearing period by another 15 days.
It was also learnt that the hearing process for unmapped voters has been affected by recent ECI guidelines requiring that all submitted documents be verified by district election officers with the relevant authorities within five days of receipt through ECINet. In cases where documents are issued by authorities from another district within the state, the DEO must refer them to the concerned DEO through ECINet, the guidelines state.
