The Election Commission to Collaborate with Birth and Death Registration Authorities for Updating Voter List

New Delhi:

Amid ongoing discussions about the accuracy of electoral rolls, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Thursday that the process of regularly updating the voter list will be strengthened in close collaboration with birth and death registration authorities.

Technical consultations between the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and EC experts will soon begin regarding the linkage of voter lists with Aadhaar. The EC emphasized that while voters can only cast their ballots at their assigned polling stations, the commission is committed to removing duplicate entries nationwide and resolving this long-standing issue within three months.

“The regular updating of the voter list will be enhanced in close coordination with birth and death registration authorities,” the EC stated in a release.

During its interactions with political parties, the EC clarified that any additions or deletions to the draft voter list are governed by the appeals process under relevant legal provisions, which allow all political parties to file claims and objections as per the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

In the absence of such appeals, the list prepared by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) remains final.

The EC noted that only 89 first appeals and a single second appeal were filed after the completion of the Special Summary Revision exercise in January.

The election authority also stated that it has outlined “bold steps” to strengthen election processes.

It announced that nearly 5,000 election officials, including state chief electoral officers, district electoral officers, and electoral registration officers, will hold regular meetings with political parties to resolve issues at the grassroots level by March 31.

The EC added that digital training programs have been planned to continuously enhance the skills of nearly one crore election officials.

Within a month of Gyanesh Kumar assuming the role of Chief Election Commissioner, the EC has set the entire election machinery, from the booth level to the officer level, on a “firm path to promote the participation of all voters and ensure a pleasant experience for them at polling stations,” it said.

Political parties, as key stakeholders, are also being actively involved at the grassroots level.

Steps will be taken to ensure that no polling station has more than 1,200 voters and that polling stations are within a two-kilometer distance from voters’ residences.

Basic facilities will be ensured even at the most remote rural polling stations, the EC said. To address urban voter apathy and encourage greater participation, polling stations will be set up within clusters of high-rise buildings and residential colonies.

The EC’s offer to train representatives of political parties and their appointed booth-level agents on electoral processes, including filing claims and objections to the voter list, has been well-received by political parties.

“These bold and far-reaching initiatives span the entire spectrum of elections and involve all key stakeholders in a participatory manner,” the EC stated.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)