ECI Strengthens Ground Preparedness with Two-Day Training for Electoral Officers at IIIDEM
New Delhi, April 29: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Shri Gyanesh Kumar, inaugurated a two-day capacity-building training programme for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from Bihar, as well as EROs and BLO Supervisors from Haryana, NCT of Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi on Monday.
The programme is part of the Election Commission of India’s comprehensive efforts to ensure robust preparations for the forthcoming General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies. A total of 369 grassroots election officials are participating in the mixed-batch training session.
In his inaugural address, CEC Gyanesh Kumar emphasized the critical role played by BLOs and EROs, along with Booth Level Agents (BLAs), in maintaining accurate and updated electoral rolls. He stressed that these officials must adhere strictly to the provisions of the Representation of People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and the guidelines periodically issued by the Election Commission of India.
Earlier this month, around 280 BLAs from Bihar, representing 10 recognised political parties, had also undergone similar training at IIIDEM.
According to the spokesperson, the ongoing training aims to enhance the practical knowledge of the participants in voter registration, form processing, and field-level implementation of electoral procedures. The officials are also being introduced to technical aspects of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs).
Officials said the sessions further cover legal provisions regarding the first and second appeals under Section 24(a) and 24(b) of the RP Act, 1950, related to final electoral rolls. Notably, no appeals were filed from Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, or the NCT of Delhi following the completion of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) conducted from January 6 to 10, 2025.
The curriculum comprises interactive sessions, simulated role plays replicating house-to-house surveys, case studies, and hands-on training for filling electoral forms including Forms 6, 6A, 7, and 8. Participants are also being trained on using the Voter Helpline App (VHA) and the BLO App to streamline their fieldwork.
The sessions are led by experienced National Level Master Trainers (NLMTs) and expert Resource Persons from the Commission’s IT and EVM divisions, who are addressing common field-level errors and guiding officials on best practices.
