Restoring Voting Rights: A New Hope for Displaced Electors in Assam

In a significant move to address the concerns of displaced electors in Assam, individuals whose names were removed from the electoral rolls during the Special Revision can now apply for re-inclusion, officials announced on Tuesday. These voters had their names deleted due to permanent shifts, often resulting from evictions or other forced relocations.

Officials stated the affected voters can appeal for inclusion under a specific provision of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, if they were unable to apply earlier. The process requires the submission of Form 6 following the release of the final electoral roll. The district election officers have been tasked with the careful vetting of these applications to maintain the accuracy of the electoral rolls.

The Chief Electoral Officer has sent directives to ensure the integrity of this re-inclusion process. Voters must provide previous electoral details and appear for verifications to facilitate the cross-check between the old and current addresses. The final voters' list, revealing over 2.43 lakh deletions, highlights the need for this initiative to restore electoral participation for displaced individuals.