Admiral Arun Prakash asks ECI to revise SIR form, deploy trained BLOs

Panaji: Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash on Monday appreciated the outpouring of concern over his SIR-related tribulations, reiterating the need to revise the form for the electoral roll exercise and deploy “fully trained” booth-level officers (BLOs).

“While I appreciate the outpouring of concern, my rank & service are not relevant & I am bound by EC rules like any other citizen. However, @ECIVEEP needs to consider: (a) revising SIR form to capture more info re ‘Occupation’ & ‘Location at last SIR’, etc,” said the Goa-based veteran on social media, a day after initiating a debate.

Renewing his suggestions for the Election Commission, he wrote, “For @ECIVEEP (b) Employ full time, fully trained youth as BLOs empowered to interact with citizens & vet docs; (c) INFORM THE PUBLIC that there exists an option to upload docs on EC website; (d) Do not forget the migrant labourer, away from home & unable to produce docs.”

A day earlier, the 82-year-old ex-Naval Chief was in anguish over the inconvenient scheduling of his and his wife’s appearance in election offices on two different dates as part of the SIR of electoral rolls in Goa.

He said that he and his wife would comply with the EC notices to appear in the election office, but wondered why the BLO, who visited their home thrice, could not ask for the additional information for which the veteran and his wife have now been called to two different Election offices, which are 18 km apart.

Addressing ECI officials, he said that there was a need to revise the SIR forms’ format, which, despite three visits by the BLO to his home, could not be filled to the satisfaction of the poll panel.

“May I point out to @ECIVEEP that (a) if the SIR forms are not evoking reqd info they should be revised; (b) the BLO visited us 3 times & could have asked for additional info; (c) we are an 82/78 yr old couple & have been asked to appear on two different dates 18 km away!” said Admiral Arun Prakash.

The former Navy chief held the top post from July 31, 2004, to October 31, 2006 and served as the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee from January 31, 2005, to October 31, 2006.

During the 1971 War, he was awarded the Vir Chakra while flying with an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter squadron in Punjab.

His tenure saw many initiatives being launched in the fields of doctrine, strategy, transformation, and foreign maritime cooperation.

After retirement, he served two terms as a member of the National Security Advisory Board and as chairman of the National Maritime Foundation.

IANS