Goa Chief Electoral Officer clarifies row over 97 voters, says many now enrolled

Initially flagged for discrepancies during SIR, 97 voters were subsequently deemed eligible after EROs and AEROs reviewed their documents and provided opportunities for hearings.The 97 voters had initially been flagged for logical discrepancies during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). (Image for representation)New Delhi,Sep 24, 2026 23:30 ISTThe Goa Chief Electoral Officer on Thursday said many of the 97 voters who were found eligible for inclusion in the electoral roll but were left out of the final roll published in February have since been enrolled, while the remaining cases are being processed.In a press note posted on X, the CEO’s office said the 97 cases were separately processed through house-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for completion of Form 6."Many have since been enrolled, while the remaining cases are being processed," the office said, reiterating that "no eligible elector will be left behind".WHY WERE THE 97 VOTERS LEFT OUT?The 97 voters had initially been flagged for logical discrepancies during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). After being given an opportunity to submit documents and be heard, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant EROs found them eligible for inclusion. The Goa CEO’s office subsequently sought a rollback facility from the Election Commission, so the names could be restored before the final electoral roll was published on February 21. The facility was not enabled in time.The Election Commission has since told India Today that ECINet does not have a rollback provision once Form 7 is clicked for deletion. The latest clarification from the Goa CEO’s office means the 97 voters were not permanently excluded from the electoral process.However, it also raises a question over why the rollback facility sought by the Goa CEO’s office was not enabled before publication of the final roll, when the EROs had already found the voters eligible.ECINET CONTROVERSYThe Goa episode has emerged as a key point in the wider controversy over ECINet and the powers of Electoral Registration Officers. Questions have been raised over whether the digital system gives EROs adequate control to reverse decisions relating to electoral rolls.The Election Commission has maintained that EROs continue to have their statutory powers and "complete and unrestricted access" to ECINet, and that the platform is only a facilitating system.The dispute has also come amid objections reportedly raised by two Election Commissioners over aspects of the digital electoral-roll system and the changes linked to Form 6.- Ends