Verify before deletions in electoral roll: Odisha CEO directs EROs

Odisha Chief Electoral Officer R.S. Gopalan has ordered Electoral Registration Officers to verify voter names before deletion from the electoral rolls. The CEO has directed them to put on hold scrutiny of two lakh people who lodged complaints of wrongful removal and verify at least 50% of cases. This comes after BLOs identified 9.8 lakh names for deletion due to deaths and shifting of residences, but are not authorised to delete names.