Pilot project of voter ID cards to be taken up in six constituencies

Mumbai, Apr 28 (UNI) The distribution of voter photo identity cards is set to begin after a gap of 12 years with one assembly constituency each of the six revenue divisions in Maharashtra having been chosen for a pilot project.

Addressing a news conference here this evening, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) U P S Madan said the pilot project would begin from May 10 in Colaba (Konkan division), Walva-Islampur (Pune division), Niphad (Nashik division), Ahmedpur (Marathwada), Badnera (Amravati) and Nagpur South (Nagpur division).

He said out of the six assembly constituencies, two are urban, two rural and the remaining two a mix of urban and rural. ''The exercise is expected to be completed within a month.'' Mr Madan said the voters will be able to get their photo id cards immediately after they see and verify their computerised data.

''We will see the experience and rectify lacunae, if any, before implementing the scheme in the rest of the state. The machinery for implementing the scheme has been put in place.'' He said the quality of cards would be better this time, compared to the ones distributed in 1994. ''The distribution of cards to residual voters (who did not get the cards in the first phase), mistakes in the previous cards would be eliminated free of cost.

While voters who wish to change their card for various reasons as well as replace lost cards would be charged Rs 25'', he added.

Mr Madan said the new photo cards would be useful while preparing the photo electoral rolls as the voter database would be computerised.

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