42,791 Enumeration Forms (EFs), or 3.15 per cent of Nagaland’s 13.57 lakh electors, had been digitised as of 8 pm on Friday, according to the latest Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Phase III status report released by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland.
The report showed that 5,17,126 EFs had been distributed to electors across the State, accounting for 38.1 per cent of the total electorate of 13,57,208.
Progress in EF distribution varied considerably among districts. Longleng recorded the highest coverage, with 50,293 EFs distributed among 50,700 electors, or 99.2 per cent.
Meluri followed with 57.4 per cent, while Pughoboto recorded 50.64 per cent, Mokokchung 49.64 per cent and Phek 47 per cent.
At the lower end, Shamator had distributed EFs to only 7.89 per cent of its 21,248 electors. Noklak stood at 19.9 per cent, Mon at 21.5 per cent, Chümoukedima at 24.19 per cent and Kiphire at 25.5 per cent.
Digitisation of the forms was considerably lower across the State. Meluri recorded the highest proportion of digitised EFs at 11.98 per cent, followed by Dimapur at 6.28 per cent.
The figiures come as Election Commission of India Secretary Binod Kumar reviewed the progress of SIR in Chümoukedima on August 20 and Dimapur on August 21.
During the Dimapur review, officials were asked to intensify efforts to improve the mapping percentage and ensure that electoral roll data was accurately updated. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were also advised to undertake thorough verification and mapping at the grassroots level and coordinate closely with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs).
Kumar also visited two polling stations under the 3-Dimapur-III Assembly Constituency following the review meeting to assess field-level implementation.
At Chümoukedima, Kumar urged officials to adhere to the prescribed SIR timeline and called for solutions to challenges being faced by BLOs. He also stressed the need to ensure that information about the exercise reached citizens across the district.
Meanwhile, an awareness programme on SIR was held in Niuland on August 21, where officials highlighted the need to ensure that eligible voters were included and ineligible or duplicate entries removed.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Niuland Athsangla said Niuland, despite functioning as a full-fledged administrative district, does not have a separate election office. Election-related matters continue to be handled under Chümoukedima district in accordance with directions of the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland.
During discussions at the programme, a shortage of polling stations in the Aghunaqa area was also raised.
Officials also addressed the enumeration process and documentation. ADC & ERO Medziphema James Swu said no eligible voter should be denied enrolment because of failure to produce documents, while urging citizens to cooperate with election officials during the verification process.
MT