New Delhi: In a bid to improve voter convenience and ensure greater accuracy of the electoral rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced three new initiatives, aligning with the vision laid out by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during the recent Conference of Chief Electoral Officers. The conference, held in March, was also attended by Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi.
Under the new measures, the ECI will now electronically access death registration data from the Registrar General of India. This step is in accordance with Rule 9 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 and Section 3(5)(b) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, as amended in 2023.
Spokesperson said the initiative will help Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) receive timely updates on registered deaths, enabling quicker and more accurate deletion of names from the electoral rolls. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will be tasked with verifying this data through field visits, without waiting for citizens to submit Form 7 for name removal, thus streamlining the process.
The ECI has also announced a redesigned Voter Information Slip (VIS) to make it more user-friendly. In the revised format, important details such as the voter’s serial number and part number will be displayed more prominently in larger fonts. This is expected to assist both voters in identifying their polling stations and officials in quickly locating voter information during elections.
In another move to enhance the transparency and visibility of the election process, the Commission has directed that all BLOs be issued standardised photo identity cards. These cards will help voters easily recognise the BLOs during door-to-door verification and registration drives, reinforcing their credibility as frontline representatives of the Commission. The ECI emphasised that BLOs, being the first point of contact between citizens and the electoral machinery, must be easily identifiable to ensure effective public engagement.
These latest reforms underline the ECI’s commitment to making the electoral process more efficient, inclusive, and citizen-centric ahead of upcoming elections.