Voter verification drive hits severe hurdles in Gwalior:BLOs could not find 15,470 voters; officials warn residents to remain alert as deletion notices begin

The district’s voter list is heading for a sizeable reduction, but the final gap will be known only after the ongoing verification work ends. So far, field staff have failed to trace 15,470 voters, and officials believe this number may shoot up to nearly 80,000 by December 4, when EF (Enumeration Form) submissions close. Sharp rise in one day A comparison of mid-week reports shows how fast the list is shrinking. On Wednesday, 11,587 voters were marked as dead, shifted, previously enrolled elsewhere or untraceable. By Thursday, this figure jumped to 15,470, indicating that 3,883 names were added to these categories in just a single day. With 14 days still left under SIR, officials expect more changes as EF feeding currently stands at only 19.2 percent. BLOs working under pressure Booth Level Officers are rushing through the exercise as senior officials push for faster EF returns. However, they face multiple roadblocks: the BLO app frequently malfunctions, nearly 40 percent of BLOs are not comfortable with mobile tools, and the server remains sluggish. As a result, officials admit that errors caused by the ongoing hurry cannot be ruled out. Dual-registered voters hesitant to cooperate A significant number of voters in areas like DDNagar and nearby colonies are enrolled in other cities as well. BLOs Om Prakash Upadhyay, Raghvendra Sharma and Amit Sharma confirm that such voters do not want to fill the EF form, preferring to retain their previous address. Many are delaying the process by giving excuses over phone calls. Collector Ruchika Chauhan also noted higher cases of such voters in zones beyond Gola ka Mandir. Technical glitches continue Despite repeated complaints, the Election Commission has not been able to fix the BLO app even after two weeks. On Thursday, the app stopped functioning from noon and worked so slowly in the evening that the updated progress could not be recorded. Voters advised to stay alert With confusion building, officials say residents must stay proactive. They should ensure the EF form reaches them, contact their BLO for submission and take a receipt. Complaints can be made on the toll-free number 0751-1950. Deputy District Election Officer Anil Banwaria assured that no name will be removed without issuing a notice first.