Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct 13: Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded to keep the entire process of revision of electoral rolls for Panchayats and Municipal Council pending till the legality of appointment of Election Commissioners of India, SIR and the revised Form 6 is examined by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. In a letter sent to the Election Commissioner for Union Territories, D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee said that the elections to the Panchayat-raj institutions and Municipal Council in Andaman & Nicobar Islands were last held in March, 2022. The names of the members so elected in the three-tier Panchayat-raj institutions were published vide Gazette Notfication No. 37 dated 11th March, 2022 and for Port Blair Municipal Council vide Gazette Notification No.36 dated 10th March, 2022. As such, the elections to these bodies are to be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the A&N Islands (Pachayat) Regulation 1994 and A&N Islands (Panchayats) (Preparation of Electoral Rolls and Conduct of Elections) Rules, 1995.
He said that as per rule 17 of the A & N Islands (Panchayats) (Preparation of Electoral Rolls and Conduct of Elections) Rules, 1995, such part of the electoral rolls of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands House of the people constituency prepared under the Representation of People Act, 1950 and the rule made thereunder, for the time being in force, as is comprised in the relevant territorial area of a Gram Sabha shall be the electoral roll of members of that Gram Sabha.
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls for the Parliamentary Constituency of A & N Islands was conducted during 2025-26. CPI (M) pointed out that before the SIR, the total electors for the A&N Parliamentary Constituency were 3,10,404. On conclusion of the SIR, 64,014 electors (including 9191 deaths) have been excluded from the electoral rolls of Andaman & Nicobar Parliamentary Constituency despite strong opposition by political parties.
Ayyappan further pointed out that the entire process of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across the country is under challenge before the Supreme Court. It is found that about 13 crores of electors have been excluded from the electoral rolls across the country. Large scale protests against the exclusion of these electors are taking place throughout the country.
CPI (M) Secretary said that as per media reports, the Election Commission of India has cancelled the visit of Chief Election Commissioner and other Commissioners to various poll-bound States following the intervention by the Supreme Court into the entire issues of revised procedure adopted for the appointment of Election Commissioners and the validity of Special Intensive Revision itself. The legality of the modified Form 6 used during the SIR (to include the names of left out electors and new electors) is also under judicial scrutiny by the Supreme Court.
The revision of electoral rolls for the 3-tier Panchayats and Municipal Council in A & N Islands is already due, and we fear that the same will be carried out by adopting the electoral rolls prepared under the so-called SIR. Our apprehension is that the Election Commission (UTs) will follow the same procedure as adopted by the Election Commission of India for inclusion of names to the electoral rolls, CPI (M) told the Election Commissioner (UTs).
In view of the above position, CPI (M) said that it is not legally correct to adopt the electoral rolls of the House of People prepared under the Special Intensive Revision 2025-26 for the upcoming elections to the 3-tier Panchayats and the lone Municipal Council in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Alternatively, CPI (M) suggested that the electoral rolls of 3-tier Panchayats and Municipal Council prepared before the SIR may be used for the mandatory revision of the electoral rolls before the forthcoming elections so that the eligible voters who have been deleted from the electoral rolls under the so-called SIR can exercise their franchise in next Panchayat and Municipal elections.
