Hijab or no hijab, photos should be clear on SIR enumeration form

With a large number of women electors choosing to wear the hijab or headscarf, some have been seeking clarity on the kind of photographs that should be pasted on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration form.

Several electors said that while some booth level officers (BLOs) had asked them to submit photographs with their heads covered but their ears visible, others said their respective BLOs were themselves unsure of the requirements.

“There is an assumption that for official documentation, photos should have the woman applicant’s ears clearly visible. It is understandable that the need for clarification stems from this assumption,” said Ayesha Fatima, an elector from Manikonda.

The Hindu spoke to BLOs, who said they too had received similar queries from electors. They explained that women had been affixing a variety of photographs, including those without headscarves, those with headscarves and ears visible, and those with headscarves covering the ears. They said the queries largely came from religious practices, with electors seeking clarity on what would be acceptable.

“Many women have specifically asked whether their ears should be visible. There was some information circulating on social media about this as well after which we got more queries. At the moment, all kinds of photographs are being submitted with the form. We are making sure that the photographs are clear,” said a BLO working in the Bahadurpura Assembly constituency.

To understand whether any standard operating procedure or official guideline exists on the issue, The Hindu contacted three Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). While one officer said that ‘no clear instructions’ had been issued in this regard, another said that photographs with ears clearly visible would suffice. “As long as the ears are visible, it is enough and we can handle it,” the officer said. A third ERO said he would respond after seeking clarification, adding that photographs should be taken ‘much like passport application photographs’.

When contacted, GHMC Commissioner and District Election Officer R.V. Karnan said that all photos need to be clear, “As long as the face is clear, it should not be a problem in the photographs,” he said.