Mumbai, Sep 2: Amid voters exclusion during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday urged the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S. Chockalingam to extend the deadline for submitting claims and objections, streamline the hearing process, and ensure complete transparency in updating the electoral rolls.

State Congress General Secretary Sandesh Kondvilkar submitted a formal representation to the Maharashtra CEO highlighting critical lapses and key demands to safeguard voting rights.

According to data cited in the letter, out of Maharashtra’s total registered voter base of 9,78,54,049, names of 2,06,88,487 voters (21.14 per cent) have been excluded from the draft electoral roll under the “ASDD – Uncollectable” (Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate) category.

The current draft list includes 7,71,65,562 voters (78.86 per cent), which still contains a significant number of “Anomalies” and “Unmapped” voter entries.

Despite prior representations and discussions in all-party meetings, several critical concerns remain unaddressed.

“The current window from August 31 to September 30 for submission of claims and objections is inadequate, especially given the upcoming Ganeshotsav festival when many citizens travel to their hometowns. The party has demanded an extension until November 30, 2026,” the letter said.

It also demanded that a complete booth-wise list of voters identified under “Anomalies” and “Unmapped” categories — who are scheduled to receive notices — should be published immediately and provided to representatives of political parties.

Notices to voters who submitted enumeration forms should be delivered physically in person rather than solely through digital platforms like WhatsApp.

Hearings should be organised at respective local polling stations rather than restricting them to just three to four centralised locations per Assembly constituency, the letter said.

According to the Congress, minor differences between English and Marathi spelling variations of voter names should not be classified as “Anomalies”.

“Clear operational guidelines must be issued regarding anomaly corrections without subjecting voters to notices. If a voter listed under the ASDD category re-claims their status, verification should be conducted directly via the Booth Level Officer (BLO) or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) without calling them for redundant formal hearings,” the Congress said.

The Congress has also demanded that independent desks should be established for fresh registrations to provide Form-6, Declaration forms, and Form 8, along with clear guidelines on the maximum number of applications a Booth Level Agent (BLA) can submit at once.

If a claim or objection is rejected after a hearing, a written order stating the official grounds must be issued to the voter within two days to enable timely appeals.

Senior citizens served with notices should be granted priority during the hearing sessions where entries for deceased or duplicate voters persist despite submitted enumeration forms and evidence, thorough re-verification must be conducted.

Kondvilkar noted numerous complaints regarding the non-compliance of Election Commission directives by BLOs and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers on the ground.

To restore public faith, the Congress has requested regular information sharing with political party representatives to ensure no eligible citizen is disenfranchised from the electoral process, he added.

Mumbai: The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is not just a journey to reach a sacred site; it is a voyage of faith, patience, self-discovery, and spiritual transformation. Senior journalist Priti Sompura shared her experiences from her recently concluded 13-day Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with fellow journalists at the Mumbai Press Club.

Sharing her emotional journey, Priti Sompura remarked that the pilgrimage to Kailash tests not only physical endurance but also an individual’s mental strength, patience, and faith. Treacherous paths, extreme altitudes, unpredictable weather, and low oxygen levels make every step of the journey challenging. Yet, it is the divine energy of Kailash and the profound spiritual realization that empower pilgrims to press on.

Priti Sompura also recounted her experience of the three-day Kailash Parikrama (circumambulation), describing it as one of the most arduous yet spiritually enriching and memorable experiences of her life. The grueling trek, coupled with extreme cold and high altitude, compels individuals to transcend their physical limitations.

She noted that upon reaching Kailash, one begins to question oneself and finds the opportunity for introspection. The journey connects us to our inner peace, distancing us from the noise, stress, and hectic pace of daily life.

“Kailash is not just a journey; it is a divine experience,” said Priti Sompura. “Standing before Mount Kailash evokes a sense of total surrender. In that moment, one realizes how insignificant we are in the face of the power of nature and the Divine.”

She added that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra imparts vital life lessons—patience, humility, courage, gratitude, and the willingness to shed one’s ego. According to her, the journey holds the power to instill inner peace and transform one’s perspective on life.

During the interactive session at the Mumbai Press Club, Priti Sompura shared photographs, videos, and personal anecdotes from her trip, offering the audience a chance to intimately experience the natural beauty and spiritual atmosphere of Kailash. She spoke at length about the majestic, snow-capped Mount Kailash, the breathtaking natural beauty of the Himalayas, and the profound sense of peace experienced during the journey. The program also covered the challenges pilgrims face during the expedition and the necessary mental and physical preparations required before undertaking the Kailash Yatra.

Priti Sompura remarked that while the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is physically extremely demanding, the experience and spiritual fulfillment gained at the end of the journey are priceless.

“You do not return from Kailash with mere memories,” she said. “You return with a new perspective on life. Kailash grants you strength, peace, and the courage to face challenges. It teaches you surrender, how to let go of the ego, and how to become a better human being.”

She emphasized that everyone should experience the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra at least once in their lifetime—not merely as a pilgrimage, but as a journey into one’s own inner self.

For those who undertake the journey to Kailash with true devotion and faith, the mountain ceases to be just a destination; it transforms into a divine experience that remains with their heart and soul for a lifetime.

Mumbai, Sep 2: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday directed that detailed information regarding employees working in supernumerary posts across various government departments, along with the details of the corresponding original vacant posts, must be submitted within two weeks. Necessary action must be taken to complete the recruitment process for vacant posts in tribal areas within six months.

CM Fadnavis was speaking at a meeting regarding vacant positions in tribal (PESA) areas.

He stated that, as per the orders of the Supreme Court, the concerned employees were relieved from their original posts. However, since many of these employees had served for a long time, they were accommodated in supernumerary posts on humanitarian grounds.

Fadnavis directed all District Collectors to urgently collect accurate data on the number of employees currently working in supernumerary posts within each department, the number of such employees who have retired, and the corresponding original vacant positions. All this information will be submitted to the Chief Secretary’s office, after which the respective departments must put in place the necessary mechanisms for recruiting to the vacant positions, he clarified.

Directing all concerned departments to complete the recruitment preparations within the stipulated timeframe, CM Fadnavis emphasised that the deadline in this regard will not be extended under any circumstances. The verification process for appointments under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category was also discussed during the meeting.

According to a review conducted in 2015, some employees had not submitted their Caste Validity Certificates. Subsequently, during a verification carried out in 2019, the issue of approximately 6,860 employees without validity certificates came to light, out of which 1,346 posts have been filled.

The CM’s directives come against the backdrop of widespread protests and hunger strikes by tribal students across major centres including Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Yavatmal, and Nanded. The agitation, led by tribal youth and student organisations, intensified following a tragic incident in Gadchiroli district where three tribal girls died from a snakebite at a government residential school (Ashram Shala).

The 17-day hunger strike was suspended on August 29, 2026, after CM Fadnavis and Tribal Development Minister Dr Ashok Uike held direct discussions with student delegations in Mumbai and accepted their major demands with a time-bound implementation schedule.

The protesters were demanding the immediate identification and filling of around 12,500 vacant posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) across state departments and fast-tracking recruitment under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA). Recruitment for nine out of 17 cadres was completed, and the government agreed to launch recruitment for the remaining 6–8 cadres immediately.

They also demanded placing ST candidates in the second position in the government point-roster system as per prior government resolutions.