While the annual increase in the number of voters for the country is about two per cent, in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Kerala the increase is in the range of 6-9 per cent, the commission said in a directive to the CEOs of the three states.

While commission does not rule out "a slightly higher increase," the figure should not jump from 2 per cent to 6 or 7 per cent. Fifty-two constituencies in West Bengal recorded abnormal increase in applications, Andhra Pradesh in 44 constituencies and Kerala in 18. The commission has asked the CEOs to report twice a week on the acceptance and rejection of applications in each constituency.

The problem, however, is not confined to these three states. In the secondphase the increase in the number of applications in Orissa and Tamil Nadu was abnormally high, though there was no suspicion of stuffing the rolls with fictitious names in the first phase.

The commission has also instructed two states to send a report to it twice a week on the disposal of applications.

The commission said that in order to thwart any clandestine attempts to manipulate the rolls, CEOs should supervise and closely scrutinise cases when abnormal number of applications for either inclusion or deletion of names in any particular constituency had been filed.

The commission has also warned of deterrent disciplinary action against electoral registration officers for any negligence and non-performance in proper verification of claims.

It said final printing and publication of the electoral rolls of any constituency should not be made without prior written approval of the commission.