18 hrs ago
Bengal BLOs Face Uncertainty as Voter Re-enrolment Drive Begins
The Election Commission has started a drive to help eligible people who were left off voter lists apply to be included.
People can use Form 6 online or get help from a Booth Level Officer.
The commission says applicants no longer need to prove a link to the 2002 voter revision.
Many officers in West Bengal are unsure what to tell people whose cases are still with tribunals.
The commission says those cases cannot be decided through this drive.
It also says officers do not need to visit every applicant’s home.
They will visit only when election officials decide a check is needed.
The officers say they need more guidance and are also concerned about their workload and safety.
The Election Commission has ordered a special drive to enrol eligible voters left out of electoral rolls in states where the SIR was completed.
West Bengal’s CEO office said people on the ASDD list may apply using Form 6, and first-time voters who have turned 18 may also apply.
The Election Commission said Form 6 no longer requires applicants to show linkage to the 2002 SIR.
BLOs say they are waiting for training and clarification, particularly about voters whose cases are before tribunals.
The Election Commission says tribunal cases cannot be handled through this drive; BLOs will visit homes only when officials decide physical verification is needed.
- Who
- Booth Level Officers in West Bengal, eligible voters left off electoral rolls, and the Election Commission of India.
- What
- A special drive is allowing eligible voters left out of the rolls to apply for inclusion, while BLOs seek guidance on its implementation.
- Where
- West Bengal, among the 20 states and Union Territories where the Special Intensive Revision was completed.
- When
- The Election Commission announced the drive on September 29; the West Bengal CEO’s office issued a notice on Tuesday.
- Why
- To identify eligible voters left out of the rolls and give them an opportunity to apply for inclusion.
BLO concerns
Election Commission response
Handling tribunal cases
BLO concerns
BLOs say they lack clear guidance on what to tell voters whose cases are awaiting tribunal hearings, and some believe those voters cannot be included in the drive.
Election Commission response
The Election Commission says cases under tribunal jurisdiction, or involving deletion after a tribunal hearing, cannot be addressed through this drive and are outside its role.
Workload and field visits
BLO concerns
Some BLOs worry the drive will add to existing duties and say they need training and clarity about the work required.
Election Commission response
The Election Commission says applicants can use camps or apply online, and BLOs will make home visits only when officials determine that physical verification is necessary.
BLO safety
BLO concerns
The organisation Votekormi and BLO Aikya Mancha warned that BLOs in areas with many deletions could face attacks from angry voters.
Election Commission response
A senior Election Commission official said BLOs will not have to visit every applicant’s home, but the article reports no direct response from the commission to the organisation’s broader safety warning.
Key facts
- Application form
- Form 6, available online or through a BLO.
- Who may apply
- Eligible voters on the ASDD list and first-time voters who have turned 18.
- 2002 SIR linkage
- The Election Commission said Form 6 no longer requires proof of linkage to the 2002 SIR.
- West Bengal deletions
- The final electoral roll published February 28 listed 63.66 lakh voters as deleted.
- Adjudication
- The roll listed 60.06 lakh cases as under adjudication; about 33 lakh voters were restored and 27 lakh cases referred to tribunals.
- Tribunal cases
- The Election Commission said people whose cases are under tribunal jurisdiction, or who were deleted after a tribunal hearing, cannot apply through this drive.
- Home visits
- BLOs need to visit an applicant’s residence only if an Electoral Registration Officer or District Electoral Officer considers physical verification necessary.
Quotes
Khurshid Anwar
BLO from Srirampur in Hooghly district
“But the main problem is the tribunal cases. People are stuck there, and they ask me about it over and over.”
indianexpress.com
Senior ECI official
Election Commission of India official explaining how applications and verification will be handled
“In this process, they don’t have to go to every applicant’s house. All District Electoral Officers will organise camps where applicants can apply through Form 6. They can also apply online. Then, if an Electoral Registration Officer or District Electoral Officer thinks that in a particular case physical verification is needed, in only those, BLOs would have to go to the applicant’s residence.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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