Ex-navy chief asked to confirm identity under SIR, move sparks debate on social media

The process of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India is again under scrutiny, as a former chief of naval staff Admiral Arun Prakash, and his wife, have been asked to submit additional documents to establish their identity as registered electors.

Admiral Prakash, a decorated war veteran and a Vir Chakra awardee for his role in the India-Pakistan War of 1971, who has settled in Goa after retirement, has been marked under the “unmapped” category. In a post on X, the admiral said SIR forms should be revised if they are not “evoking” the required information.

According to a senior official, the admiral's details do not figure in the voter list last updated in 2002 and that he falls under the “unmapped” category.

Unmapped category

Some X users, however, wondered what more the SIR team needs since the ex-Navy chief’s PPO (Pension Payment Order) and life certificate are already available in government databases.

Also read: Bengal SIR: How did a former IPS officer's name vanish from voter list? | Interview

“This is what is happening in most such cases. Admiral Prakash falls in the unmapped category,” South Goa District Collector and Returning Officer Egna Cleetus told PTI on Sunday.

Cleetus said she will go through the Navy veteran’s enumeration form on Monday. The authorities will reach out to him, she added.

Admiral's response on X

During the ongoing SIR, Admiral Prakash (retd), has been asked to remain present before the electoral officer to establish his identity after the “hearing notice” has been generated.

As the notice has sparked a discussion online, Admiral Prakash on Sunday wrote on X, “I neither need, nor have ever asked for any special privileges since retirement 20 yrs ago. My wife and I had filled the SIR forms as reqd & were pleased to see our names figured in the Goa Draft Electoral Roll 2026 on the EC website. We will, however, comply with EC notices.”

Also read: Is SIR undermining voter rights in Bengal? | Jawahar Sircar interview

“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 2 different dates 18 km away!!” he said in another post.

'Common sense missing'

Responding to the post, Lt Col T S Anand (retd) wrote, “I believe Bugs in software may have caused, but if such a notice does come every citizen who has things in order can just go and show it, nothing wrong. So in case of Adm Arun Prakash Sir his PPO/Veteran Card is proof enough and for protocol the SIR team can go to his home.”

X user @LancerFlying, who identifies himself as Op Vijay and Op Meghdoot veteran, said, “His, YOURS and mine, PPO and life certificate is already on the Govt database. What more is needed by the SIR team than punch a few keys on the keyboard and access proof? Commonsense is missing, that is what is wrong!!”

(With agency inputs)