Panaji, Jan 9, 2026: Viriato Fernandes, the South Goa Congress MP and a former Indian Navy officer, has received a notice from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to prove his identity to retain his name on the electoral roll, despite being a registered voter since 1989. The development highlights the administrative intricacies of the Special Intensive Revision of Rolls (SIR) process, which flagged Fernandes’ entry under the unmapped category.

Fernandes’ Reaction

Speaking to the media, Fernandes expressed surprise and concern over receiving the notice, stating:

“The ECI had subjected every contestant during the last Lok Sabha polls in 2024, including me, to the highest level of scrutiny before clearing names for contesting the elections. If a Member of Parliament can be subjected to this scrutiny, wonder about the fate of a common man.”

The MP recounted his long history as an active voter, noting that he had traveled multiple times from his military postings to cast votes in Lok Sabha, Assembly, Panchayat, and Zilla Parishad elections since becoming eligible under the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s initiative lowering voting age to 18.

“I have been voting since 1989, traveling across India from various naval postings just to cast my vote,” Fernandes said.

Reason Behind the Notice

The notice, posted publicly by Fernandes, stated that he had not filled in all required details in the enumeration formsubmitted during the previous SIR. Specifically, the form lacked essential information such as:

• Assembly constituency number
• Part number
• Serial number in the electoral roll

Because of these omissions, the system could not automatically link his enumeration form with existing electoral roll records. As a result, Fernandes’ entry was classified as unmapped, triggering a hearing notice under the standard SIR procedure.

Electoral Officer Clarification

Janavi Kalekar, the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO), clarified that the notice was generated automatically as per EC guidelines:

“As these essential details were not filled in, the BLO application could not automatically link the form with the existing electoral roll record. Accordingly, in the present case, the enumeration form was placed under the unmapped category by the system and a hearing notice was generated and issued automatically as per the prescribed procedure.”

Fernandes has been directed to appear before the AERO on January 27 with the necessary documents to verify his identity and confirm his continued registration as a voter.

Context: SIR and Unmapped Voters

The Special Intensive Revision of Rolls (SIR) is an exercise to update and validate electoral rolls across the country, particularly targeting entries with discrepancies or missing details. Voters may fall under unmapped cases if:

• Their form cannot be linked to prior electoral roll entries
• Critical details like constituency or roll serial numbers are missing
• System-generated checks flag inconsistencies

In such cases, the EC requires the voter to either appear for a hearing or be represented by a family member with supporting documents.

Implications

The notice to a sitting MP underscores the EC’s strict adherence to procedural compliance, irrespective of the voter’s status. Fernandes highlighted the broader concern:

“If a senior elected representative is subjected to such verification, imagine the challenges faced by ordinary voters, particularly those temporarily away from their home constituencies.”

This incident comes amid broader relaxations in SIR procedures. In West Bengal, for example, voters temporarily outside the state—such as students, government employees, and those abroad—have been allowed family representation to attend hearings, highlighting efforts to prevent disenfranchisement.

Looking Ahead

Fernandes’ case will be resolved after he presents his documents at the AERO hearing. Once verified, his entry will be restored to the electoral roll, continuing his uninterrupted voter registration since 1989. The incident serves as a reminder that even long-standing voters may face administrative scrutiny under modernized electoral roll verification systems like SIR.