SHILLONG, June 30: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) has called upon indigenous organisations, political parties, traditional institutions, youth bodies and people of the state to actively participate in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, terming it a crucial constitutional exercise to safeguard the democratic and political rights of indigenous communities.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, CoMSO chairman Roy Kupar Synrem said the SIR should not be treated as a routine electoral exercise but as a rare opportunity to ensure that electoral rolls remain free from ineligible or doubtful entries.
According to him, the purity of the electoral roll forms the foundation of democracy, and any compromise in the voters’ list weakens the legitimacy of the democratic process.
Synrem said indigenous organisations have consistently raised concerns over illegal immigration, demographic changes and the possibility of non-genuine voters being included in electoral rolls.
He stated that the revision exercise provides a lawful and transparent mechanism to verify electoral records, remove duplicate and deceased voters, rectify anomalies and ensure that only legally eligible electors remain on the rolls.
Appealing to Dorbar Shnongs, Nokmas, traditional institutions, village authorities and community leaders to remain vigilant throughout the verification process, Synrem said these grassroots bodies are best placed to identify doubtful claims, duplicate entries and other irregularities through the prescribed legal process.
At the same time, he stressed that genuine indigenous voters should not be wrongly excluded from the rolls.He urged political parties and election candidates to rise above partisan interests and work collectively to protect the integrity of the electoral rolls. He maintained that the issue transcends party politics and directly concerns the constitutional rights and future political representation of indigenous citizens.
Stressing that the credibility of the electoral rolls will determine the strength of democratic representation in the state, Synrem called upon all eligible citizens to cooperate fully with the authorities and remain vigilant during the revision exercise so that the electoral rolls accurately reflect the genuine electorate of Meghalaya.
