1. Challenges of SIR Parent Mapping for Institutionalized Individuals

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has inadvertently created a documentation bottleneck for individuals raised in state-run orphanages and charity homes. While the Election Commission of India (ECI) suggests using the institution\'s name in place of parental details, the absence of standardized field-level guidelines has left many \'unmapped\' and at risk of disenfranchisement. • The Documentation Gap: Individuals like Md. Palash Shekh, who aged out of state care, possess personal ID (Aadhaar/Voter ID) but cannot fulfill the SIR requirement of \'parent mapping\' to the 2002 electoral rolls due to a lack of lineage proof. • Institutional Identity vs. Lineage: Although ECI officials permit using an orphanage’s name in the parent/guardian column, the lack of formal SOPs leads to inconsistent implementation, resulting in \'hearing notices\' for those in the \'unmapped\' category. • The 2002 Benchmark: The SIR process relies heavily on tracing roots back to the 2002 rolls to verify long-term residency and citizenship, a metric that is structurally impossible for abandoned or rescued children to meet. • State Responsibility: Since these individuals were wards of the State, the onus lies on the government to provide the necessary documentation or legal waivers to ensure their constitutional right to vote is not compromised. • Risk of Disenfranchisement: The current \'chaos on the ground\' suggests that without specific guidelines for \'unmapped\' institutionalized persons, a significant vulnerable population could be excluded from the updated electoral rolls. Key Definitions • Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A rigorous process to clean and update electoral rolls, often involving door-to-door verification and mapping voters to historical data (e.g., the 2002 list) to ensure accuracy and prevent fraud. • Parent Mapping: The process of linking a voter’s entry to their parents’ records in previous electoral rolls to establish lineage and residency. Constitutional & Legal Provisions • Article 326: Grants the right to be registered as a voter to every citizen of India who is not less than 18 years of age, subject to certain disqualifications. • Representation of the People Act, 1950: Sections 14 to 25 govern the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. • Right to Identity: Implicit under Article 21, ensuring that the lack of biological lineage does not strip a citizen of their legal and political identity. • Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: Establishes the State as the parens patriae (legal guardian) of children in need of care, implying the State must facilitate their transition into adult citizenship. Additional Key Points • Vulnerability of \'Aged-out\' Youth: Youth leaving care homes at 18 often lack the social capital and legal literacy to navigate complex bureaucratic revisions.

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): There is an urgent need for the ECI to issue a uniform circular clarifying that for institutionalized persons, the \'Head of the Institution\' or the institution’s name serves as a valid legal substitute for parental mapping. Conclusion The SIR process, while essential for electoral integrity, must be inclusive of those without traditional family structures. For individuals raised in state custody, the State cannot demand proof of lineage that it knows does not exist. Bridging this administrative gap is vital to upholding the democratic principle of \'no voter left behind.\' UPSC Relevance • GS Paper II: Functions and responsibilities of the Election Commission, issues related to vulnerable sections of society, and the implementation of the Representation of the People Act. • Governance: Challenges in digital and documentary identity (Aadhaar vs. Electoral Rolls) and the gap between policy intent and field-level execution. • Ethics (GS Paper IV): The moral obligation of the State toward its former wards and the pursuit of social justice through administrative empathy