After Express report, Goa CEO says cases of 97 voters ‘processed separately’

A day after The Indian Express reported on the unprecedented rupture within the Election Commission and the disenfranchisement of potential voters in Goa, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Goa on Thursday said that "many" of the 97 cases that were not included in the final electoral roll published in February this year have been enrolled since, and the "remaining cases are being processed”.

It said the cases were separately processed through house-to-house visits by booth-level officers (BLOs) for completion of Form 6. The Indian Express on Thursday reported that between February 11 and 17, the office of Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer wrote eight times to Gyanesh Bharti, the Senior Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of the state, copying Director General of IT Seema Khanna every time, asking for the rollback option that would let the EROs reverse the earlier deletions as the Supreme Court had directed.

The requests went unanswered as the deadline for publication of the final electoral roll approached. The provision was not enabled in time, and 97 people were left off the final voters’ roll in Goa. A statement from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Goa, on Thursday, said, "The 97 cases not included in the Final Roll published in February 2026 were separately processed through house-to-house visits by BLOs for completion of Form 6.

Many have since been enrolled, while the remaining cases are being processed. It is reiterated that no eligible elector will be left behind." When The Indian Express contacted him, Sanjay Goel, Chief Electoral Officer, Goa, said, "We had flagged to the Election Commission in February (regarding the list of 97 voters to be included).

Subsequently, we went ahead and published the final roll." "Immediately after, I wrote to both the DEOs (district election officers) that all these (97) cases… they should be part of the electoral rolls by filing Form 6 and the BLOs (booth-level officers) must visit their addresses and get the requisite documentation done.

Since then, we have collated data, and many of the names (in the list of 97) have been added to the electoral rolls after filing Form 6." "And for the remaining cases, we are taking the initiative, and the BLOs will go to their addresses.

And once their Form 6 details are filled, they will be added to the roll in a time-bound manner." The final electoral roll for Goa after the completion of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was published in February with a net deletion of 1.27 lakh voters, representing 10.76 per cent of the state’s electorate prior to the commencement of the exercise.

Pavneet Singh Chadha is the Goa Correspondent of The Indian Express. His reporting focuses intensely on the state of Goa, covering major developments in politics, governance, and significant local events, which establishes his high degree of Expertise and Authority in the region.

Expertise Geographic Expertise: As the Goa correspondent, Pavneet provides on-the-ground, comprehensive coverage of Goa's political, social, and cultural landscape, ensuring readers receive timely and localized insights.

Key Coverage Focus: His recent work demonstrates deep investigative capabilities and a focus on high-impact stories, including: Investigative Reporting: Extensive coverage of complex events such as major incidents (e.g., the Goa nightclub fire), tracing the legal, political, and safety lapses involved.

Government and Law Enforcement: Detailed tracking of police actions, deportations, and legal proceedings related to significant local cases. Policy and Governance: Reporting on the judiciary (e.g., Goa High Court flagging illegal structures) and the actions of government departments.

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