Former envoy Navdeep Suri faced citizenship verification hurdles during Punjab’s electoral roll revision in Chandigarh.
Officials sought Suri’s passport after his details failed to match the 2003 legacy electoral roll.
Suri questioned how ordinary citizens without passports or historical records could meet such documentation requirements.
‘What About Ordinary Citizens?’ Former Envoy Flags Punjab SIR Hurdle
Former diplomat Navdeep Suri said officials sought additional citizenship documents during Punjab’s electoral roll revision, raising concerns over the hurdles ordinary voters could face
Summary
Former diplomat Navdeep Suri has flagged concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Punjab's electoral rolls. Officials asked Suri to submit documentation establishing his Indian citizenship.
The revision process mandates that voters absent from legacy rolls must establish their citizenship and local links using specified documents. The Times of India reported the former envoy's experience on Sunday.
Suri submitted his Voter ID and Aadhaar card to the local Booth Level Officer. Officials initially assured him that his documentation was in order. He later received an official message stating his details did not match the 2003 electoral roll.
Because he was serving abroad as a diplomat and was not in India in 2003, authorities demanded his passport as proof of citizenship. Suri said this requirement made his inclusion in the legacy roll impossible without the extra document.
Implications For Ordinary Citizens
Suri questioned what such stringent legacy documentation requirements could mean for ordinary citizens. He highlighted the difficulties for common people who may lack passports or historical records to satisfy the bureaucracy.
The Supreme Court of India has previously stressed that transparency and natural justice must be strictly maintained during the revision exercise.
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