Revised electoral rolls for Gram Sabhas across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council have been finalised and are now available for public inspection. The updated lists follow a schedule approved by the Election Commissioner (UTs) for the islands and use January 1, 2025, as the qualifying date for voter eligibility.
The process was undertaken in line with the House of the People Constituency electoral rolls, which were revised and published by the Election Commission of India in January 2025. This alignment ensures that local body rolls remain consistent with the most current parliamentary voter lists, preventing discrepancies such as duplication or omission of voters.
Copies of the revised rolls have been placed at multiple locations for public access, including the Office of the Director, Panchayats and Municipal Elections, all respective Tehsildar offices, and the office of the Secretary of the Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council. Citizens can visit these offices during working hours to verify their details, request corrections, or flag any errors.
The revision process is a statutory requirement under election laws, designed to maintain accuracy in electoral records ahead of local polls. Gram Sabha and municipal elections rely on precise voter lists to ensure eligible residents can participate in the democratic process. Inaccurate records can lead to disenfranchisement or disputes during election cycles.
In recent days, voter roll integrity has been a subject of heightened public interest in the islands. Allegations of irregularities, including deletions of genuine voters and inclusion of fake entries, have been raised in political and civic discussions. Earlier, The Wave Andaman reported on concerns flagged by the Andaman Congress regarding possible electoral fraud linked to faulty rolls, and how these could impact public trust in upcoming polls (Read the full report here).
In the islands, where many communities are geographically remote and populations are dispersed across multiple small settlements, ensuring the correctness of electoral rolls is particularly important. Travel constraints and communication gaps can make it harder for voters to detect and report errors if the rolls are not proactively made accessible.
Officials have encouraged residents to take advantage of the inspection window to confirm their names, addresses, and other details before upcoming elections are announced. Any corrections must be filed within the stipulated time frame, using the prescribed forms available at the inspection centres. This may include updating addresses due to relocation, correcting spelling errors, or removing names of deceased family members from the list.
The revised rolls will also serve as the basis for other electoral processes, such as identifying polling station jurisdictions and updating electoral maps. Ensuring accuracy now reduces the likelihood of last-minute disputes or reallocation of voters between wards or Gram Sabhas.
The exercise reflects the broader commitment to transparency in the electoral process, providing a clear opportunity for public scrutiny before the rolls are finalised for use in local body elections. It also aligns with the Election Commission’s ongoing push to improve voter services, including the use of technology in verification and the introduction of digital platforms for checking electoral details.
For residents of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, especially those in smaller panchayats, the roll revision is a chance to secure their place in the voting process and avoid administrative hurdles on polling day. Officials note that even minor discrepancies can lead to a voter being turned away from a polling booth, making proactive verification essential.
The availability of these lists across various administrative offices is intended to make inspection more convenient, particularly in areas with limited transport links. While online verification may be available in future, physical copies remain the primary mode of inspection for this revision cycle, ensuring accessibility to all residents regardless of digital connectivity.
By completing this process months before elections, the administration aims to safeguard both the integrity and inclusiveness of the democratic process in the islands.