EC sets deadline for publication of photo electoral rolls

New Delhi, Feb 7 (UNI) The Election Commission(EC), at a meeting held here today with the Chief Electoral Officers(CEOs) of all the States and Union Territories (UTs), directed them to complete the Photo Electoral rolls by August 31 in their respectives States/UTs.

According to an EC release issued here, during the meeting, they also reviewed the status of revision of electoral rolls with January one, 2008 as the qualifying date and deciding a time frame for publication of Photo Electoral Rolls for all the States/UTs.

At the meeting, the Commission apprised the CEOs of an analytical framework for testing the veracity of the Electoral Rolls depending on certain broad parameters like elector-population ratio, gender ratio and prescribed specific format for such analysis.

The CEOs were also directed to complete such analysis and submit the reports by February 29. In addition, the Commission also decided to put in place a verification mechanism by appointing Roll Observers in each State/UT to ensure integrity of the Rolls.

The final publication of the Electoral Rolls with qualifying date as on January one, this year has been done in 20 States. The remaining few States, including Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, that have just had General Elections, are in the process of finalising the revision formalities.

The revision process is expected to be completed by the end of the first fortnight of March, 2008.

During deliberations, the Commission laid emphasis on polling station rationalisation to be looked from the viewpoint of voter convenience and laid down fresh guidelines for creation of new polling stations and decongestion of existing polling stations.

They also discussed about the preparatory activities for conversion of existing constituencies into the proposed delimited constituencies and the state of preparedness in this regard was also discussed.

The CEOs were briefed about the procedure to be followed and the precautions to be taken for accurate mapping and conversion of the existing constituencies. The CEOs were directed to undertake one case study and incorporate the lessons emerging from that before universalising the process of delimitation in the whole State/UT.

The Commission had fixed February 29 as the last date for the completion of the pilot process for all States/UTs.

The Commission also reviewed the progress made in a pilot project undertaken by the Karnataka CEO for comprehensive computerised management of Electoral Rolls. The software developed for the purpose was reviewed and it was decided that it would be adopted for the entire country in due course after incorporating changes warranted during the pilot, the release added.

UNI BKS SHB HS1946