Ranchi: Two tribal residents of Khunti district, who did not possess an Aadhaar card or any conventional proof of identity and address, have secured enrolment in the electoral roll through verification based on land records, khatian documents and testimony from their gram sabha.The cases of 65-year-old Joseph Kongadi and 28-year-old Lukas Kongadi, residents of Udikel Girjatoli village in Torpa block, have prompted chief electoral officer K Ravi Kumar to direct officials across the state to identify other eligible residents facing similar documentation hurdles.Kumar said officials must ensure that the absence of standard identity or address documents did not lead to the exclusion of genuine voters. “I have asked officials to pay special attention to tribal voters facing documentation hurdles and, wherever possible, use govt records already available with authorities to help applicants establish identity and residence,” he said.According to a case study prepared by the Torpa block administration, both men lacked Aadhaar and other accepted documents required for voter registration. A special gram sabha was subsequently convened in Udikel panchayat, where the mukhiya, ward members and villagers confirmed that the two were permanent residents of the village.The gram sabha’s recommendation was endorsed by the panchayat authorities. On that basis, their Form 6 applications were processed by the booth level officer and forwarded to the electoral registration officer in Torpa. The two were subsequently enrolled in the voter list.Officials said the cases showed how lawful local verification mechanisms could help bridge documentation gaps in remote tribal areas, where residents often face difficulties in producing conventional identity and residence proofs.Kumar reviewed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Gumla on Friday. He said the Election Commission’s objective was to prepare a “zero-error” electoral roll and directed officials to preserve claims, objections and verification records as permanent documents.The CEO also asked officials to assist voters in remote areas, provide clear guidance on documentation requirements, prevent overcrowding through token systems and dispose of claims and objections within the stipulated timeline.
