Overview Political parties in Kerala have requested the Election Commission of India (EC) to ensure that electors are summoned for hearings only in unavoidable cases during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. This request aims to minimize inconvenience to the public while ensuring the accuracy of the electoral rolls. Key Developments Political Party Concerns The demand was raised at the weekly political party meeting convened by Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala), Rathan U. Kelkar . Political parties expressed concerns that notices would be issued on a large scale to electors in the ‘no mapping’ list and in cases where ‘logical discrepancies’ or inconsistencies have been detected in the entries. ‘No Mapping’ List There are a little over 19.32 lakh electors in Kerala in the ‘no mapping’ list , meaning their details could not be linked to the 2002 SIR list . Of this, notices for hearings have been generated in the case of 17.71 lakh electors, while they have been delivered in 18,915 cases. Kannur has the highest number of delivered notices with 3,632 , and Thiruvananthapuram has the lowest with 314 . Demands from Political Parties M.K. Rahman , representing the Congress party , suggested that hearings should be avoided if electors submit sufficient documents that are examined and found satisfactory at the level of the Booth-Level Officer (BLO) or the Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (ERO/AERO) . Political parties requested the EC to issue detailed directions to the EROs/AEROs to restrict hearings to unavoidable cases. They also reiterated the demand that authorized representatives be allowed to appear on behalf of bedridden, aged, and overseas electors. Election Commission's Response Mr. Kelkar stated that while notices are to be generated for all electors in the ‘no mapping’ list , the decision to call them for hearings rests with the ERO/AERO . He mentioned that the EROs/AEROs are Constitutional authorities and decide whether a hearing is needed or not, but guidance has been issued to hold hearings without causing inconvenience to the public. The decision on whether representatives can appear on behalf of electors unable to appear in person rests with the EROs/AEROs , and the EC can only guide them. Handling Logical Discrepancies EROs/AEROs have been asked not to generate notices in cases of ‘logical discrepancies’ (inconsistencies) such as name mismatches or age differences. These can be resolved through an undertaking given by the BLO . Family Grouping in Electoral Rolls Political parties also urged the EC to ensure that family members are grouped together in the electoral rolls, as several cases have come to light where they are scattered across polling stations. D.K. Murali of the CPI(M) asked the EC to adopt a “practical approach” and take the political parties into confidence in conducting the SIR . UPSC Relevance This news article is relevant to GS2 (Polity and Governance) . It highlights the importance of accurate electoral rolls, the role of the Election Commission, and the challenges in maintaining electoral integrity. The issues discussed, such as the ‘no mapping’ list and ‘logical discrepancies,’ are crucial for ensuring free and fair elections. Key Terms Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A focused effort to update and rectify electoral rolls. Electoral Roll: Official list of eligible voters. No Mapping List: List of electors whose details couldn't be linked to the 2002 SIR list. Logical Discrepancies: Inconsistencies in electoral data. Booth-Level Officer (BLO): Official responsible for verifying voter information at the grassroots level. ERO/AERO: Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer.