Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh – December 8, 2025
In a symbolic step towards electoral transparency, Iqbal Ansari, a prominent former litigant in the decades-long Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, submitted his Special Intensive Revision (SIR) form on Sunday as Ayodhya ramps up efforts to purge duplicate entries from its voter rolls.
The filing took place at a local booth in the Ayodhya assembly constituency, where over 400 Booth Level Officers (BLOs), 40 supervisors, and five Junior Engineer (JE) teams are working round-the-clock to verify details for approximately 386,205 registered voters across 400 booths. Ansari, whose family has deep historical ties to the site's legal battles, joined hundreds of residents in this nationwide Election Commission of India (ECI) initiative aimed at ensuring "one person, one vote."
"This is a good step," Ansari told reporters after submitting his form. "Earlier, people had two or four votes in different areas, but now one person will have only one vote. Every citizen’s vote matters, and eliminating duplicate or multiple votes will strengthen democracy." He also addressed potential political opposition to the process, emphasizing continuity and fairness: "My family has lived here for 100 years, and we have never faced any issue. The parties should understand that the law is already in place, and people should cast only one vote. People casting two or four votes is wrong. What the government has done is good."
The SIR exercise, launched earlier this year, seeks to update and digitize electoral rolls by removing outdated entries, duplicates, and discrepancies—many stemming from voter lists last comprehensively revised in 2003. In Ayodhya, nearly 3.8 lakh voters' details have already been verified, with a particular focus on the 28% categorized under "Age Shifted and Deceased" (ASD), which requires rigorous scrutiny to prevent errors.
Local officials, including Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ram Prasad and Public Relations Officer (PRO), hailed the community's cooperation. BLO Shahnaz, who assisted in the verification, noted the initiative's importance despite hurdles: "The effort to remove default voters is commendable, though challenges remain. Many people are not voluntarily coming forward to correct their details, assuming their names will be deleted automatically by the last date. Outdated voter lists from 2003 and mapping discrepancies have also slowed the process, but verification is progressing well."
Another BLO, Shruthi, echoed the sentiment, while resident Virendra Kumar Pathak expressed optimism: "This system will make our electoral rolls more accurate and transparent, ensuring fair elections."
Mapping efforts in the constituency are slated to reach 95% completion by December 11, ahead of the draft electoral rolls' publication on December 16. The process includes a month-long window for claims and objections, during which voters must provide supporting documents for eligibility.
Ansari's participation carries added weight given his role in the landmark 2019 Supreme Court verdict that paved the way for the Ram Temple's construction. Since then, he has advocated for peace and harmony in Ayodhya, often praising the city's transformation into a symbol of coexistence. His endorsement of the SIR drive underscores a broader narrative of civic engagement in the temple town, now bustling with development and tourism.
The ECI's nationwide SIR campaign has seen varying progress, with Rajasthan achieving 100% voter digitization earlier this week. In Ayodhya, the exercise not only modernizes voting but also fosters trust in the democratic process amid the region's evolving socio-political landscape.
For More News Updates Follow Us On Www.tconews.in
