Delays Hit Andheri Electoral Roll Revision As Booth Officers Remain Absent
Former Congress corporator Mohsin Haider on Wednesday alleged that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Andheri taluka has virtually come to a standstill. In a letter to the Andheri tehsildar, Haider raised concerns that the sluggish pace of the door-to-door verification drive, which began on June 30, will cause many local voters to be left off the electoral list before the upcoming July 29 deadline.
The delays have caused anxiety among local residents, particularly those from minority communities, who fear they might be excluded from the electoral rolls if the revision is not completed on time.
The door-to-door verification drive is being carried out by nearly 10,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across Mumbai, which includes approximately 7,000 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) employees and 3,000 school teachers. However, the field exercise has faced significant disruptions due to heavy rain, long commutes, regular office duties, and protests by some BLOs. Notably, several school teachers have actively sought exemption from the election-related duties.
In his letter, Haider pointed out that each BLO has been assigned around 900 to 1,000 households, but many are failing to show up. He stated that several BLOs, including municipal employees, government school teachers, anganwadi sevikas, and other designated staff, are allegedly remaining absent from the field, refusing to conduct the door-to-door verification, or working for only two to three hours before returning to their regular offices, schools, or centres.
Local residents in Andheri also reported difficulties in reaching out to the officials. Many complained that repeated attempts to contact their designated BLOs using the contact details provided on the Election Commission's website received no response.
With nearly ten days of the revision programme already passed by Wednesday, Haider noted that progress in several polling areas remains minimal. He warned of a serious risk to the accuracy and integrity of the electoral rolls if the situation continues, and urged the Andheri tehsildar to take immediate corrective measures to ensure the revision is completed in a transparent and time-bound manner before July 29.
