Electoral rolls to see crucial changes: Election Commission introduces new reforms

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission is implementing new measures to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls and make the voting process smoother. These steps are based on the proposals presented by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during the State Election Commissioners' Conference held in the month of March. Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi also attended the conference.

From now on, under Rule 9 of the 1960 Voter Registration Law and Section 3(5)(b) of the 1969 Birth and Death Registration Law (as amended in 2023), death registration data will be electronically shared with the Election Commission by the Registrar General of India. This will enable Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to receive timely information about registered deaths. Additionally, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will be able to verify information by visiting homes without waiting for an official application through Form 7.

To make voter information slips more user-friendly, the Commission has decided to redesign them. The voter's part number and serial number will now be displayed in larger font, helping voters easily identify their polling stations and allowing polling officials to locate names on the voter list more quickly.

According to Section 13B(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Election Commission has directed that all BLOs appointed by EROs be issued standard photo identity cards. This will help citizens easily recognize BLOs and confidently interact with them during voter registration drives. Since BLOs serve as the primary point of contact between the Election Commission and voters on election-related matters, it is crucial that they are easily identifiable during home visits.