Kerala, 14 Feb(H.S.):The time for hearings under the ongoing intensive voter list revision process will come to an end today, marking the conclusion of a key phase in updating the State’s electoral roll. Election authorities have intensified efforts to complete all pending proceedings before the deadline.

As of yesterday, hearings had been completed in 122 Assembly constituencies. According to the Chief Electoral Officer, ensuring that every applicant is heard and that each case is properly verified remains the primary focus. Officials stressed that the revision exercise is being conducted with utmost care to maintain the accuracy and credibility of the voter list.

So far, 39,297 names have been removed from the electoral roll following the hearings. Among them, 33,450 individuals were found to have shifted their residence outside their respective constituencies. Another 1,630 names were deleted after it was confirmed that those individuals had acquired foreign citizenship, rendering them ineligible to remain on the voter list. Additionally, 4,217 entries were removed after authorities verified that the individuals had died during the enumeration period.

Officials said the intensive revision aims to eliminate ineligible or duplicate entries while safeguarding the inclusion of all eligible voters. The exercise is seen as a vital step in strengthening the transparency and integrity of the electoral process ahead of forthcoming elections.

The final electoral roll, incorporating all corrections and deletions made during the revision process, is scheduled to be published on the 21st of this month. Voters have been advised to check the updated list once it is released and report any discrepancies without delay.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman