Shillong, August 01: At a State level SSR function, held at the Office of the Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills District and organized by the office of the DC in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer,many new announcements were made relating to the launch of newly modified forms and enhanced opportunities for enrolment by eligible electors in the ensuing SSR as part of the pre revision activities.
In his key note address,Shri FR Kharkongor Chief Electoral Officer highlighted that the Election Commission has now made provision for 4 new additional qualifying dates available for registration i.e April 1st,July 1st,October 1st and January 1st-which essentially means 4 new opportunities to enrol in a year-an applicant need not be restricted to 1st January only as qualifying date for registration.
This was brought about through an initiative of the ECI whereby legal amendments were carried out in Section 14(B) of the RP Act 1950 and modifications in Registration of Electors Rules 1960,to expand opportunities for enrolling ,as opposed to the single qualifying date of 1st January earlier.
Earlier on, a large number of youth who had completed 18 years after 1st January, had to wait for Special Summary Revision of the next year for enrolment and were not able to participate in elections held in the intervening period.
It was informed that with these new arrangements,there will be more opportunities for youth to become part of the voters list. Simultaneously an advance application facility for 17+youngsters will also be available from the date of draft publication of Electoral Roll,which is fixed on November 9th this year.
The CEO also conveyed that new modified user friendly & simpler forms 6,7,8 are also being launched with effect from 1.8.22.A single Form 8 has been devised for correction of entries,if required. A new facility is the introduction of Form 6B for voluntary submission of Aadhar by the new intending applicants for linking voter card with Aadhar.
All steps are to be ensured to adhere to Section 37 of Aadhar Act 2016,for maintaining privacy of Aadhar details. It was however clearly underscored by the CEO ,that an applicant will not be denied inclusion of his/her name in the Electoral Roll nor his name deleted for inability to furnish or intimate Aadhar Number.
The CEO also informed that with effect from today, a time bound drive is being launched for collection of Aadhar numbers of existing electors,which is purely voluntary and being done so with the objective of establishing identity of electors and authentication of entries in Electoral Roll. The CEO also stressed that focus on removing demographically and photo similar entries would continue.
Other Speakers in the State Level Launch program included remarks by Smt Isawanda Laloo,the DC East Khasi Hills District , BM Mawlong Additional CEO,a detailed presentation of the new arrangements by KG Nongrum Systems Analyst,MS Sangma,Additional Deputy Commissioner,Shri S. Basiawmoit.
The BLO who each dwelt at length on the pre revision activities covering critical areas such as polling station rationalization for polling stations having voters exceeding 1500,preparation of supplements and integrated draft rolls with reference to 1.1.2022 as qualifying date ,deletion of multiple repeat entries, need for greater engagement and participative process of Booth Level agents(BLA).
Field level verification and super checking of entries to ensure healthy electoral rolls and the revision activities set to commence in November 2022, including disoposal of claims and objections, received after publication of the Integrated Draft Rolls.
It was also informed by the officials ,that a one month period will be available for citizens to file claims, and objections, in the draft electoral Roll and special Camps will be organized by the Office of CEO &DEOs to ensure that the Electoral Roll is published on 5th January 2023,as fixed by the Election Commission of India
