Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 10: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) in 12 states and Union Territories undergoing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to provide Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of political parties with booth-wise lists of electors marked as Absent, Shifted, or Dead/Duplicate (ASD). This step follows the approach used during the Bihar SIR and is aimed at improving transparency and accuracy in updating the electoral rolls.

The ASD lists contain names of electors who could not be contacted despite three or more visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). The Commission has instructed that these lists be shared with BLAs appointed by district presidents of political parties prior to the release of draft electoral rolls. Around five lakh BLOs will engage in booth-wise meetings with over 12 lakh BLAs to hand over the ASD lists and gather feedback, ensuring the correct status of each elector is verified.

The ECI emphasized that this collaborative verification is crucial to correcting errors before the draft rolls are published, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring no eligible voter is left out. After the draft rolls are released, booth-wise, assembly-wise, and district-wise ASD lists will be made available on the websites of respective DEOs, district magistrates, and CEOs, with EPIC-searchable access, replicating the successful model used in Bihar.

By involving political parties at the grassroots level, the Commission aims to create a stronger system of cross-verification and error detection, reinforcing the integrity and inclusiveness of India’s electoral process.