Mumbai: BMC commissioner and District Election Officer Ashwini Bhide on Saturday directed election officials to expedite the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying the exercise had been affected by the recent spell of heavy rain and must now be completed within the stipulated timeline.Reviewing the progress of the exercise in the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency at a meeting in Malad, Bhide said booth level officers (BLOs) should step up house-to-house verification and digitisation of voter records, particularly as more rainfall is likely in the coming days.“The pace of the exercise needs to be accelerated so that house visits and digitisation are completed within the prescribed timeframe,” she said.Additional District Election Officer Abhijit Bangar asked Assistant Electoral Registration Officers to simultaneously speed up the distribution of enumeration forms and digitisation.While adding that the Election Commission has extended the deadline for the Special Intensive Revision, he urged officials to factor in their regular civic responsibilities and the possibility of further rain.Bangar also asked officials to work additional hours and on holidays, if required, to ensure that the revision exercise is completed on schedule.The review meeting was attended by Electoral Registration Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers and other election officials. The Special Intensive Revision is being undertaken by the Election Commission to update and verify electoral rolls ahead of future elections.
