Former Indian Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash expressed gratitude for the support received regarding his electoral roll concerns. He emphasized the necessity of revising the SIR form and ensuring the deployment of well-trained booth-level officers (BLOs) for the electoral roll process. Admiral Prakash highlighted the importance of capturing detailed information like ‘Occupation’ and ‘Location at last SIR’ in the revised form.
Renewing his recommendations to the Election Commission, Admiral Prakash suggested employing full-time, trained youth as BLOs to engage with citizens and verify documents. He also urged for public awareness regarding the option to upload documents on the EC website. Additionally, he emphasized the need to consider the challenges faced by migrant laborers who may be unable to produce necessary documents.
Expressing his concerns over the inconvenience caused by the scheduling of his and his wife’s appearances at different election offices, Admiral Prakash emphasized the need for a more efficient process. Despite multiple visits by the BLO to his home, the SIR form could not be completed satisfactorily. Admiral Prakash urged the Election Commission to revise the format of the SIR forms to ensure essential information is accurately captured.
Admiral Arun Prakash, who served as the Navy chief from 2004 to 2006 and as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, highlighted the need for improvements in the electoral roll exercise. His distinguished career includes being awarded the Vir Chakra during the 1971 War and spearheading various strategic initiatives post-retirement.
