The notice phase of Maharashtra’s State Implementation Report (SIR) is now underway, and Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam has formally requested four changes to the ECINet system to broaden the powers of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) during this critical period—
Chockalingam’s letter echoes earlier complaints from Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, who warned that the system’s centralised control at the DG(IT) level curtails on‑ground officers’ ability to resolve discrepancies—
Under the current software, a “logical discrepancy”—such as a mismatch between a voter’s name and that of a parent or age inconsistencies—triggers a required hearing, even when the documents already submitted seem adequate. EROs can now apply to exempt such cases, but the system forces them to seek central approval for every decision—
In response, the Election Commission issued a statement on September 26 granting EROs the discretion to waive hearings for flagged logical discrepancies. It also noted that several portal upgrades have already been implemented based on state CEOs’ feedback and that further flexibility will be added as needed—
The impact is already visible: the draft roll cut 21.1 % of Maharashtra’s electorate, removing over two crore names, many of which are dead or relocated voters. The final roll, scheduled for November 16, will reflect these changes and could alter the voter base for the upcoming state elections—
Looking ahead, the Commission will monitor the rollout of the new ECINet features, while state officials aim to ensure that the final voter list accurately represents registered citizens before the November elections commence.