Shillong: Meghalaya is purging its electoral rolls. The Special Intensive Revision kicked off June 20 to clear out duplicate entries and illegal immigrants. Officials are using the 2005 electoral roll as the primary anchor for this massive cleanup. It serves as the legacy baseline to verify legitimate voters.
Voters listed in 2005 get a pass on providing new identity proofs. They simply submit an extract from that list with their forms. Everyone else faces strict scrutiny. New applicants must prove Indian citizenship and meet the age requirement of 18 by October 1, 2026. Booth Level Officers are currently conducting house-to-house checks to ensure data accuracy.
Citizens need to show reliable records to confirm their age. Birth certificates, school leaving certificates, and Aadhaar cards are standard requirements. Ordinary residence is also mandatory, backed by documents like ration cards or utility bills. Election Commissioner Dr. Vivek Joshi recently toured the state to oversee the progress. He visited polling stations in Nongpoh and Shillong to test the machinery. He stated that the revision is meant to "create a clean and accurate electoral roll" for future polls.
Tribal areas receive special attention during this phase. Officials are scrutinizing family lineages to catch bogus entries while protecting genuine voters. Anyone declared of unsound mind or currently serving time in prison remains disqualified from the process. The draft roll drops August 5, with the final version set for October 7, 2026.
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