Ever since the ECI commenced the Special Intensive Revision exercise, there have been multiple reports of citizens getting notices to prove their identity despite filling required forms. The electoral rolls revision has once again come under scrutiny after former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) said he was asked to appear in person to prove his identity for remaining on Goa’s voter list.
In a post on X, Admiral Prakash said he and his wife had received notices asking them to attend a meeting as part of the voter roll verification exercise. The retired officer questioned the design and implementation of the SIR process.
“If the SIR forms are not eliciting the required information, they should be revised,” Prakash wrote on X. He pointed out that the Booth Level Officer (BLO) had visited their residence three times and could have sought any additional documents then.
He further said that he and his wife, aged 82 and 78, had been asked to appear on two separate dates at a location around 18 km away. According to a report by Times of India, Admiral Prakash has been directed to appear with his documents on January 17, while his wife, Kumkum, has been asked to attend separately on January 19.
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‘No preferential treatment needed’
Admiral Prakash also clarified that he was not seeking preferential treatment. Responding to a social media suggestion that the BLO could verify documents at his home, he said, “I neither need, nor have ever asked for any special privileges since retirement 20 years ago. My wife and I had filled the SIR forms as required and were pleased to see our names figured in the Goa Draft Electoral Roll 2026 on the EC website. We will, however, comply with EC notices.”
Admiral Prakash served in the Indian Navy for four decades, during which he commanded a carrier-borne fighter squadron, a naval air station and four warships, including the aircraft carrier INS Viraat, NDTV reported.
2/2 May I point out to @ECIVEEP that (a) if the SIR forms are not evoking reqd info they should be revised; (b) the BLO visited us 3 times & could have asked for additional info; (c) we are an 82/78 yr old couple & have been asked to appear on 2 different dates 18 km away!!
— Adm. Arun Prakash (@arunp2810) January 11, 2026 The former Navy chief told TOI that he was first posted to Goa in 1968 and had served in the state on five occasions before settling there permanently in 2009. “I wonder what happens if I fail to convince the EC official?” he said.
Another retired Navy officer served EC notice
The development follows a similar instance involving South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes, who is also a retired naval officer and Kargil war veteran. Fernandes recently said he received a notice from the Election Commission asking him to submit documents to prove his identity to retain his name on the electoral roll.
In a post on X, Fernandes said the notice came despite the fact that all candidates contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, including himself, had undergone extensive scrutiny before being cleared to contest. He also pointed out that he has been a registered voter since 1989.
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Why is SIR being conducted?
The Election Commission has said the SIR exercise is aimed at ensuring clean and updated electoral rolls by removing duplicate, shifted or ineligible entries ahead of upcoming elections.
The ECI rolled out the latest phase of the SIR in June 2025 ahead of the Bihar elections. The poll watchdog began the exercise with the stated aim of updating electoral rolls by adding eligible voters and removing ineligible names. |
