ECI announces summary revision of electoral rolls: CEO
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, September 24 2021: Manipur's chief electoral officer (CEO) Rajesh Agrawal informed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for Special Summary Revision with respect to January 1, 2022 as qualifying date thus paving the way for any citizen of India, who is born on or before January 1, 2004 to be eligible to enrol in the Electoral Roll from November 1, 2021 .

Addressing the media on Thursday in the presence of joint CEO Ramanan-da Nongmeikapam and co-ordinator, Permanent Media Cell & State Nodal officer for media Waikhom Phajatombi at his Lamphelpat conference hall, Rajesh Agrawal highlighted the various activities taken up for the ensuing General Election, 2022 while informing that schedule of Special Summary Revision, 2022 includes Pre-Revision activities and Revision activities.

As part of the Pre-Revision activities, removal of all DSEs/multiples entries/logical errors, etc.; H2H verification through BLOs (as needed), proper formation of sections; and rationalization of polling stations from August 9 to October 31, 2021 would be initiated.

The Revision activities include publication of integrated draft electoral roll on November 1, filing claims & objections from November 1 to November 30, special campaign on November 13 & 14 and November 27 & 28, disposal of claims and objections by December 20 and final publication of electoral roll by January 5, 2022 .

Agrawal informed that any citizen who attains the age of 18 as on January 1, 2021 can enrol in the Electoral Roll before the Summary Revision and that he/she may enrol in www.nvsp.in, www.voterportal.in, Voter Helpline Mobile App or submit application forms to the Booth Level Officer (BLO) or Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) concerned.

During continuous updation, about 80,365 forms were received from January 15, 2021 till date with about 25 per cent of the applications received online.

The number of forms received since January 15 till September 22 is 22,438 in Form 6, 7; 316 in Form 7, 49; 689 in Form 8 and 1, 193 in Form 8A.The CEO also stated that proposal for rationalisation of polling stations have been received from the District Election Officers following which a consolidated proposal was sent to the Election Commission on September, 22.He asserted that maximum efforts have been put to shift the old and dilapidated polling stations to good condition polling stations by making held visits by the DEOs and EROs and in consultation with the political parties.

As per ECI instructions, new polling stations have been proposed for those polling stations having more than 1200 electors.

In order to make polling stations more accessible to the voters, polling stations are also proposed in such a way that a voter does not have to walk for more than 2 Km, Rajesh Agrawal said while informing that establishing of additional 64 polling stations has proposed to the ECI for approval.

He also informed that EVMs have been distributed to all the districts.

First Level Checking of EVMs will start from October 4, 2021 in all the districts.

For this, 32 engineers will be deputed from Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL).

For the first time in the country, an additional Pre-FLC shall be conducted with the help of FLCU machine in Manipur and Goa.

In addition, the usual manual FLC shall also be conducted.

The entire process of FLC shall be webcasted for monitoring by CEO and ECI.

All necessary arrangements have been made.

All DEOs and Dy DEOs have attended a workshop on FLC organised by ECI on September 17 whereas training for FLC Supervisors will be held on September 25 at CEO's office.

He maintained that the first batch of training for Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) was held from September 14-17, 2021 and second batch of training for AROs shall commence from November 9-12.Intensive training for Returning Officers (ROs) shall start from October 26 till 29 .

Training for District Level Master Trainers (1 each from District) and Assembly Level Master Trainers (2 each from Assembly Constituency) exclusively for EVMs will start from 3rd week of October, 2021 .

A sensitization programme on EVMs for political parties will also be conducted after the completion of FLC, he said.

A meeting with all recognised political parties was held on September 9 wherein they have been briefed about the schedule of Special Summary Revision, 2022.The meeting was also continued on Thursday for non-attendees in the last meeting.

Cooperation was sought from all political parties to make efforts in enrolling all eligible citizens and to take adequate steps for free and fair election.

Meeting agenda for Political Parties includes Pre-revision Activities, Rationalisation of polling stations, Special Summary Revision, FLC of EVMs, IT Apps for candidates, Postal Ballots for PwDs and 80-plus electors, Online nomination and online payment facilities, COVID SOPs in Campaigning, etc.

Three rounds of meeting were held with District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers and they have been advised to give adequate emphasis on inclusion of eligible citizens in the electoral roll and purification of electoral rolls by removing ineligible electors and making correction of wrongful entries.

They have also been advised to plan in advance about the preparations for the ensuing General Election to Manipur Legislative Assembly in various aspects including Polling stations, Security Planning, Vulnerability Mapping, Transport Management, Training, etc.

For smooth coordination, State Nodal Officers have also been identified and a round of meeting was held on September 7, 2021.With the sole objective of giving maximum awareness to the electors, SVEEP Programme has been launched from September 3 .

In order to create more awareness, 12 State Icons from diverse fields have been identified at the State level and have started engaging them for various activities, CEO informed.

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