Daltonganj: Election Commission has listed a ‘family register’ issued by a state or local authority among 12 documents accepted as proof of Indian citizenship during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Jharkhand, however, has no system of maintaining such a register.The closest equivalent is the ‘vanshavaali’, or family tree, which records a person’s genealogy. Issued by a district authority, it is valid for submission during revision.Officials said the document is rarely needed except for legal heirship, inheritance or property disputes. This has created a problem as revenue officials have been deployed at SIR camps from 10 am to 7 pm to handle claims and objections, leaving offices unmanned.“Family tree is to be issued by the circle officer. And COs are doing SIR work. So who will issue a family tree if and when asked for?” an officer asked, requesting anonymity.Sources said fewer than 4% of Palamu residents hold passports, compared with the national figure of 8.71%. Availability of a family tree is believed to be similarly low.Preparing one requires land records, particularly the khatian, or record of rights, which must be verified by revenue staff. Officials said many khatians in the district record room are in poor condition.Additional collector Kundan Kumar said Palamu’s cadastral survey was conducted in 1920, while the 2010 revisional survey covered only five revenue circles — Hussainabad, Manatu, Haider Nagar, Pipra and Harihurganj.“Our land revenue offices right from the headquarters in Daltonganj down to 20 areas across the district are facing a lack of officials following their deployment in the SIR camps,” he said. “Nevertheless, we will put in all efforts in preparing documents as and when required by the electors,” Kumar added.“We ask the electors to bring with them any document in respect of their land and many of them just stare blankly,” he said.Officials said a family tree must list living and deceased members. On Palamu DC Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat’s orders, the block-level Jan Samadhan Day has been suspended until Oct 19, when the SIR exercise ends.
