ECI to undertake 4-month long Summary Revision of voter lists after Delimitation Comm report

Voters in J&K likely to touch 80 lakh after exercise

*Electoral Rolls not revised for three consecutive years

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Mar 5: Not conducted for last three consecutive years, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is likely to order massive exercise for revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir after completion of the exercise for delimitation of 90 Assembly constituencies and before conduct of Assembly elections in the Union Territory.
Presently, there are around 76 lakh voters in Jammu and Kashmir and the numbers could touch 80 lakh after the nearly four-month long exercise as revision of voter lists hasn’t been undertaken in the UT for last three consecutive years.
Official sources told the Excelsior that soon after the Delimitation Commission submits its report, which is expected by May 6, the Election Commission could order Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir, an exercise which will take 3-4 months.
“The summary revision of electoral rolls will be conducted before the Assembly elections are announced,” they said.
Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls hasn’t been held in Jammu and Kashmir for last three consecutive years.
In 2019, the summary revision, which takes place from September to December every year, couldn’t be held after August 5 decisions of the Central Government when special status of the erstwhile State were abrogated and it was divided into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
In March 2020, the Central Government set up Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir and Special Summary Revision didn’t take place in 2020 and 2021 due to provisions that revision will not be held when exercise for delimitation of Assembly constituencies is on.
This way, the Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir hasn’t been conducted for last three successive years.
As per the sources, there were around 76 lakh electorates in Jammu and Kashmir when the electoral lists were last updated.
“Number of the voters is expected to touch 80 lakh when the Special Summary Revision is taken up after the Delimitation Commission submits its report,” sources said, adding the Election Commission of India is likely to order the revision of electoral rolls after the Commission submits report.
The revision will take 3-4 months time, they said.
If the Assembly elections are to be held between October to December, the Special Summary Revision can take place between June to September. However, if the elections are delayed, the Special Summary Revision might take place along with other States and Union Territories between September-December.
While granting second extension to the Delimitation Commission, the Law Ministry had set deadline till May 6 for completion of its report. The Commission was set up on March 6, 2020 with time-limit of one year. However, due to COVID-19 and other factors, it was granted extension of one year on March 6, 2021. It had to submit report on March 6, 2022 but was given extension of two months till May 6, 2022.
The Commission is headed by Justice (Retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai and comprised Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra and State Election Commissioner KK Sharma.
Assembly elections can be held in Jammu and Kashmir only after the Delimitation Commission submits its report and Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls is completed and voter lists published.
Out of 90 seats in the Legislative Assembly, the Delimitation Commission has already allocated 47 seats to Kashmir division and 43 to Jammu region after increasing six seats of Jammu and one for Kashmir.
The Commission is expected to put draft report in public domain any time now.