SIR should not become intensive exclusion: NBCC

DIMAPUR, AUG 26 (NPN): Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has welcomed the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Nagaland but cautioned that the exercise should not result in the wrongful exclusion of genuine and eligible voters.
In a statement, NBCC secretary for social concern Dr. Villo Naleo said the integrity of an electoral roll should be measured not only by the removal of ineligible names but also by how effectively every eligible citizen was protected from wrongful exclusion.
The council noted that Nagaland’s distinctive history of village-based communities, customary institutions, clan relationships and traditional landholding meant that many families might not possess records that fit neatly into modern bureaucratic documentation requirements.
It cautioned that a rigid documentation-based approach could disadvantage genuine indigenous voters.
NBCC also pointed out that questions of ordinary residence could be complicated, as many residents study, work or live temporarily outside their native villages, while others have moved to urban centres such as Dimapur and Kohima.
It warned that incorrect classification could lead to the deletion of genuine voters.
“A democracy is not strengthened when questionable names remain on the roll; neither is it strengthened when genuine citizens lose their names from it,” the Nagaland Baptist Church Council said.
The council stressed that accuracy must take precedence over deadlines in the large-scale exercise involving mapping, house-to-house verification, data entry and disposal of claims and objections.
It cautioned against excessive pressure on field-level officials that could lead to mistakes and urged the administrative machinery to play a proactive role in ensuring a fair and transparent process.
NBCC appealed to booth-level officers (BLOs) and village authorities to discharge their responsibilities with integrity.
It also called upon Christian families not to retain the names of deceased persons or others who were no longer eligible to vote, urging them to choose “truth over manipulation, righteousness over expediency, and conscience over political gain.”
The council further urged every voter to remain vigilant and protect their democratic rights against wrongful deletion, exclusion or manipulation.
“We therefore appeal that an intensive revision should not become an intensive exclusion,” the Nagaland Baptist Church Council said, emphasising that the process in Nagaland’s unique context must be conducted carefully, inclusively, transparently and without discrimination.