The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued a detailed clarification on how former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) came to receive a notice under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Goa, after the move triggered widespread criticism and debate on social media.

The controversy erupted after it emerged that Admiral Prakash, a decorated 1971 war veteran and Vir Chakra awardee, had been asked to attend a meeting to establish his identity as part of the SIR process. Many users, including retired defence personnel, questioned why a former service chief with an established public profile would be subjected to such a procedure, viewing it as excessive and insensitive.

Responding to the backlash, the ECI clarified that the notice was not issued arbitrarily but was the result of incomplete mandatory information in the enumeration form submitted during the SIR exercise.

Why the notice was issued

In an official clarification, Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Dr Medora Ermomilla D’Costa explained that the Booth Level Officer (BLO) for Part No. 43 of the Cortalim Assembly Constituency had collected the enumeration form pertaining to Admiral Arun Prakash as part of the routine SIR process.

“In the context of media reports relating to notices issued during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), it is clarified that during the course of SIR, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) of Part No. 43 of Cortalim Assembly Constituency collected the enumeration form pertaining to Shri Arun Prakash,” the ERO said.

However, upon scrutiny, officials found that the form lacked several mandatory details related to the previous SIR, which are essential for linking the new submission with the existing electoral roll.

Mandatory details missing

According to the ECI’s statement, Admiral Prakash’s enumeration form did not contain key identification particulars required by the system. These included:

• Name of the elector
• EPIC (voter ID) number
• Name of the relative
• Name and number of the Assembly Constituency
• Part number
• Serial number in the electoral roll

“It was observed that the said enumeration form did not contain the mandatory particulars relating to the previous SIR,” Dr D’Costa said.

Because these fields were left blank, the system could not automatically verify or match the submitted form with the existing electoral database.

‘Unmapped category’ and system-driven process

The ECI further explained that the BLO application used during the SIR is designed to automatically map enumeration forms with the existing electoral roll only when all prescribed identification details are provided.

“In the absence of the essential identification details, the BLO application was unable to establish an automatic linkage between the submitted enumeration form and the existing electoral roll database,” the statement said.

As a result, Admiral Prakash’s form was categorised under the “unmapped category”.

“The BLO application is designed to automatically map enumeration forms only when the prescribed identification particulars are duly filled in, enabling verification with the existing electoral roll. In cases where enumeration forms remain unmapped, the SIR process mandates further verification through a hearing mechanism,” the ERO added.

Under this standard, system-driven procedure, a notice for a hearing is automatically generated and issued. The purpose of the hearing, the ECI stressed, is to verify the elector’s details and ensure that due opportunity is given for confirmation of eligibility, not to question the individual’s credentials or service record.

Backlash over notice to war hero

The issuance of the notice to Admiral Prakash had sparked sharp reactions online, with many calling it an example of bureaucratic overreach. Several veterans and commentators pointed out that Admiral Prakash is a nationally recognised figure, decorated for gallantry during the 1971 India-Pakistan War, and has been settled in Goa since his retirement.

Critics argued that such cases undermine public confidence in the electoral revision process and create the perception that respected senior citizens are being unnecessarily harassed. The ECI’s clarification appears aimed at countering this narrative by emphasising that the notice was triggered by technical and procedural factors rather than any discretionary decision by officials.

Not an isolated case: Amartya Sen precedent

The poll panel also highlighted that Admiral Prakash’s case is not unique. A similar notice had earlier been issued to Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen during the SIR process in West Bengal.

Last week, a senior Election Commission official confirmed that a hearing notice had been sent to Sen after “logical discrepancies” were detected in his enumeration form. Sen, who is 92 years old, has his ancestral home in Bolpur in Birbhum district.

“There were some logical discrepancies in Sen’s enumeration form. We have sent him a hearing notice,” the official had said, requesting anonymity.

However, following public attention and clarification of procedures, the poll panel later stated that Sen would not be required to physically appear for a hearing. In December, the West Bengal chief electoral officer had already directed officials to conduct hearings at the residences of voters above 85 years of age if they so requested.

According to the ECI, the issue in Sen’s case was a minor technical discrepancy, including spelling-related confusion, which has no bearing on voter eligibility.

“Since Booth Level Officers have the authority to correct minor errors, including spelling mistakes in voter names, the correction in the economist’s case will be handled administratively at the local level,” an official told PTI.

“The confusion over the spelling is purely technical and has no bearing on the voter’s eligibility. Our officials have been instructed to resolve such matters at the administrative level to prevent unnecessary controversy,” the official added.

ECI defends SIR process

Through its clarification, the Election Commission has sought to underline that the SIR exercise is largely automated and rule-based, with minimal scope for individual discretion. Notices for hearings, the ECI said, are generated automatically by the system when mandatory data is missing or cannot be matched with existing records.

Officials stressed that the objective of the SIR is to ensure accurate, up-to-date electoral rolls and to prevent errors or duplications, not to target or inconvenience voters, regardless of their public standing.

At the same time, the episode has reignited debate over whether the SIR process adequately accounts for senior citizens, eminent individuals, and long-standing voters, and whether additional safeguards are needed to avoid public embarrassment and confusion.

As the SIR continues across several states, the Election Commission is likely to face closer scrutiny over how such cases are handled and communicated. For now, the poll panel maintains that both the Admiral Arun Prakash and Amartya Sen cases arose from technical omissions and were addressed strictly in line with established procedures, without any intent to question their eligibility or status as voters.