Mizo Zirlai Pawl Advocates for Electoral Roll Integrity in Mizoram
MZP Supports Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls
An image of electors waiting in queue to cast their votes in one of the booths. (Photo:@ceomizoram/X)
Aizawl, June 24: The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the leading student organization in Mizoram, has expressed its support for the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. The MZP emphasizes that this initiative is crucial for safeguarding the voting rights of authentic Indian citizens. Additionally, the organization has called on election officials to ensure the removal of any suspected illegal voters from the electoral lists in Mizoram.
In a statement released on Monday, the MZP insisted that the SIR must be executed thoroughly within the state to ensure that only valid Indian citizens are represented on the electoral rolls. The group has appealed to various election officials, including the Chief Electoral Officer and Booth Level Officers, to adhere strictly to legal protocols during this process.
The student body highlighted its longstanding commitment to maintaining the demographic and electoral integrity of Mizoram. It recalled its involvement during the Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls in December 1995, where MZP volunteers aided election officials in verifying records statewide, resulting in the removal of thousands of alleged foreign nationals, including over 4,000 names from the Tlabung Assembly constituency. The MZP also referenced its 1996 ‘Long March’ from Aizawl to Chawngte, which demanded the deportation of alleged Chakma foreigners.
Concerned about the ongoing presence of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh on the electoral rolls, the MZP urged authorities to identify and eliminate all ineligible names through the current SIR process.
Recently, the organization compared the 2005 electoral roll, which serves as the foundation for the current revision, with the latest 2024 roll, particularly in constituencies where they suspect a rapid increase in foreign populations.
The MZP reported that several Chakma villages have seen significant growth in registered voters over the past 19 years. For instance, Gerasury's electorate surged from 112 in 2005 to 404 in 2024 (an increase of 260.71%); Tipeghat's numbers rose from 443 to 1,156 (160.94%); Andermanik from 280 to 875 (212.5%); and Saibawh from 293 to 730 (149.14%). Similar trends were noted in Devasora, Kalapani, Silgur, Sumasumy, Damzautlang, and Kakichhuah.
Furthermore, the MZP claimed that while the 2005 electoral roll documented 98 villages with 43,540 voters, the 2024 roll expanded to include 195 villages with 96,531 voters. They alleged that 97 villages listed in the latest roll were not present in the 2005 records, collectively accounting for nearly 39,500 voters. The organization also reported instances of entries lacking house numbers and cases involving individuals purportedly holding dual citizenship in India and Bangladesh.