Jaipur: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process has triggered widespread confusion among citizens who have been voting for decades. Entire communities—many of whom rely on thumb impressions instead of signatures—are now rushing from booth to booth, searching for their names in voter lists dating back 20 years.
Locals say the process has not been communicated properly, leaving people unsure about why they must submit fresh documents, fill out new forms, and verify their identities repeatedly. Daily-wage earners and elderly residents, who cannot afford to lose even a day’s income, have been standing in long queues fearing their names may be removed.
Residents allege that despite voting consistently for years, they are being asked to prove their identity again without clear instructions. Officials claim the SIR drive aims to clean and update voter rolls, but gaps in awareness and manpower—especially in rural and tribal areas—have intensified anxiety.
For thousands who consider voting their only voice in democracy, the fear of exclusion has become greater than the hardship of daily survival.
