Guwahati : Eligible voters whose names were deleted from Assam’s electoral rolls during the recent Special Revision (SR) exercise on the ground of having “permanently shifted” can reapply for inclusion under provisions of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, 1950, election authorities said on February 10.

Officials said that several electors who relocated from their earlier places of residence-owing to eviction drives, displacement or other administrative actions-found their names removed from the rolls of their previous polling stations or constituencies. In cases where such individuals were unable to apply for transfer before deletion, they are now permitted to seek fresh inclusion at their current address.

An official from the election department stated that these voters may submit applications in Form 6 after publication of the final electoral roll following the Special Revision. The State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has issued detailed instructions to all District Election Officers (DEOs) outlining the procedure to be followed.

“In view of recent displacements in Assam due to various reasons or administrative actions, some electors were removed from the rolls as ‘permanently shifted’ but were unable to submit applications for shifting, as only one form can be processed during a single revision,” the CEO said in a communication to district authorities.

The letter refers to Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which allows an elector to file an appeal before the DEO against deletion of their name within the prescribed period. It also permits submission of Form 6 for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll during summary revision or continuous updation.

Election officials clarified that although Form 6 is generally used for new voter enrolment, it may also be used in cases where an elector’s name was deleted from the previous roll and they could not file Form 8 (used for correction or shifting) because a Form 7 – objection to inclusion or deletion request – was already under process against them during the revision cycle.

To prevent duplication and ensure only eligible voters are reinstated, the CEO has directed DEOs to undertake rigorous scrutiny of all such Form 6 applications. Applicants must submit a copy of their previous EPIC (Elector Photo Identity Card) along with standard supporting documents required under Form 6.

Under the prescribed mechanism, the district where the applicant currently resides – termed the “Receiving District” – will forward the application to the “Verifying District” where the elector was previously enrolled for cross-checking. Applicants will also be required to appear in person before the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for a hearing and produce necessary documents.

Following verification and receipt of inputs from the earlier district, the Receiving District will dispose of the application in accordance with the law, the CEO’s communication stated.

The clarification comes after the final electoral roll for Assam was published on Tuesday, with over 2.43 lakh names deleted from the draft roll. The updated list comprises nearly 1.25 crore male voters, 1.24 crore female voters and 343 third-gender electors across the state.

Election authorities have reiterated that the process of inclusion, deletion and correction remains open under continuous updation, allowing eligible citizens to ensure their names are correctly reflected in the electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections.