Catholic Association of Goa Raises Key Concerns Over Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Roll

Goa, December 6, 2025: The Catholic Association of Goa (CAG) has highlighted several pressing questions for the Election Commission of India regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. In a letter addressed to Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Cyril Fernandes, CAG President Cyril Fernandes conveyed citizens’ concerns over the use of the 2002 Electoral Roll as the benchmark for verification and mapping. While acknowledging the importance of creating a purified and accurate voter list, he noted that the current process has caused significant distress and confusion among a large section of long-term voters.

The letter outlined multiple issues related to missing names in the 2002 SIR Roll. Many long-standing, continuous voters—who have participated in elections even before 200- are unable to trace their names in the digitised roll, despite holding valid election-related documents. Instead, they are now asked to provide historical linkage, which is not feasible for many.

Voters are also questioning who bears responsibility for the disappearance of their names from the 2002 records, especially when these names existed in rolls prior to 2002 and continue to appear in present-day lists. The CAG observed that the lack of searchable, accurately mapped historical data over the last two decades—stemming from administrative lapses, digitisation gaps, or transcription errors—is likely the root cause, not any fault on the part of the voter.

The association further warned that treating the non-availability of 2002 data as a deficiency in a voter’s claim could unfairly lead to exclusion or unnecessary harassment of genuine electors. It called on the Commission to formally assure citizens that the absence of 2002 data would not be used as the sole criterion for determining voter eligibility. The letter emphasised that responsibility for preserving accurate historical records lies with electoral authorities, not with the electorate.

Another key concern related to the Enumeration Form, which requires voters to link their entry to a ‘relative’ listed in the 2002 roll. In practice, some field officers are interpreting ‘relative’ narrowly, limiting it to immediate family members such as parents or spouses. The CAG urged the Commission to clarify that the term should be understood in its broader dictionary sense, encompassing siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Such an inclusive interpretation is particularly vital for elderly citizens whose immediate relatives may no longer be alive, joint families with wider kin networks, and single voters who may have lived with extended family in 2002.

The letter stressed that widening the definition would ease the burden on millions of voters and ensure smoother completion of the SIR process. It called on the Election Commission of India to promptly address these concerns and issue guidelines that ensure a transparent, fair, and non-exclusionary revision for all eligible voters.

Catholic Association of Goa Raises Key Concerns Over Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Roll

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