The resolution of appeals and objections arising from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Nagpur district is facing the risk of delays, with election officials preoccupied with preparations for the October 23 election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council’s Nagpur Graduates’ Constituency. The diversion of official attention comes at a crucial stage of the revision exercise, when voters flagged for discrepancies must have their cases examined and eligibility established. The Election Commission has already revised the SIR schedule, while a further extension is reportedly under consideration. The change in the hearing process has also altered how cases are being handled. Following the Election Commission’s September 26 decision to discontinue physical hearings, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were directed to visit voters at their homes, with Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) deciding cases on the basis of documents submitted through the BLOs. The revised procedure was intended to ease the process for voters, but its effective implementation depends on timely verification and disposal of cases. The scale of the task in Nagpur is considerable. The district election officials had issued 8.66 lakh notices to voters whose records required verification. The backlog makes timely disposal particularly important. Undelivered notices can prevent affected voters from respondingContd on page 2