The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Goa has issued a crucial public notice, urging Goans who possess Portuguese or any other foreign nationality to promptly remove their names from the draft electoral roll under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls 2026. The deadline for submitting Form-7 for deletion, or filing claims and objections, is January 15, 2026. The CEO's office has explicitly warned of penal action, which includes imprisonment for up to one year, a fine, or both, for individuals making false declarations in connection with the electoral roll revision, as stipulated by Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. This directive stems from Section 16(1)(a) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which disqualifies any person who is not a citizen of India from being registered as an elector. The move comes as the Regional Passport Officer in Goa has shared data with the CEO, indicating that thousands of Goans have surrendered their Indian passports after acquiring foreign citizenship, predominantly Portuguese, over the past years. Estimates suggest that around 8,000 Goans have done so in the last five years alone. The objective of this exercise is to ensure a transparent and error-free electoral roll, a critical step ahead of upcoming elections. This issue has also seen political debate, with the Goa Congress raising concerns about potential mass deletion of eligible voters during the SIR process.