Joint CEO interacts with representatives of political parties

Special drive to register eligible electors

SRINAGAR, JUNE 9:  Joint Chief Electoral Officer (JCEO), J&K Dr. Raman Kumar Kesar today held a preparatory meeting with the representatives of various political parties in connection with launch of Special Drive to enroll left-out eligible electors giving focused attention to register first time electors who attained 18 years of age in the State.

Giving brief account of motive of the Special Drive, the Joint Chief Electoral Officer sought cooperation from registered Political Parties and appealed them to appoint Booth Level agents (BLAs) for all polling stations to assist the Booth Level Officers during the Special Drive so that no eligible elector is left out.

 Dr Raman Kesar said that as per the directions of Election Commission of India (ECI), the State Election Department is going to launch a month-long Special Drive from July 1 to enroll left-out eligible electors who have attained 18 years of age. He said that the ECI has been making efforts continuously for maximum registration of eligible electors and issuing of electoral rolls free from all errors and for the purpose, time and again, it has been launching nationwide comprehensive programmes in this regard.           

He said this year, the ECI is going to launch  one month Special Drive from July 1, 2017 for up-dation of electoral rolls and  maximum enrolment  of eligible  young voters, with the theme ‘No voters to be left behind’ who are in 18-19 year age group.

The Joint Chief Electoral Officer said Special Camps would be organized on July 8 and 22, 2017 at polling stations where Booth level Officers (BLOs) would be available with adequate number of Form-6 and 7 to receive the forms from applicants. He said these Forms can be received from EROs and AEROs offices free of cost or can be downloaded from official website of Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu & Kashmir www.ceojk.nic.in and can be submitted in their offices. These forms can also be filled online or send by post.

Dr. Raman Kesar  said that  special camps, for which dates would be announced separately,  would also be organized in educational institutions including Colleges, Polytechnic Colleges, ITI, BEd and Nursing Colleges  so that maximum eligible electors could be covered.

 It is mandatory for the BLOs to make their visits door to door to collect data with regard to addition, deletion or about dead during the Special Drive, he maintained.  

Referring to Mobile App, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Krishan Lal said that the Mobile App is available on Commission’s website and a user can fill the Form using the app. He said that Commission has also provided facility of National Call Centre to extend services to citizens, saying that this National Call Centre would also be launched at State and district levels in State.

 Assuring for extending full cooperation during the Special Drive, the representatives of political parties highlighted some issues with regard to list of BLOs, EPIC cards, errors in voter’s lists, security of political representatives/workers, rationalization of polling station and honorarium to BLAs.  

Hearing the suggestions and issues raised by the participants during the meeting, the Joint Chief Electoral officer assured that their suggestions for achieving cent per cent registration and corrections, if any, in electoral rolls would be taken into consideration.

Among others, representatives of various political parties and other senior officers of Election Department attended the meeting.