ECI to Conduct Special Electoral Roll Review in Odisha After 24 Years

Speedy Summary:

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) will launch a special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Odisha after a gap of 24 years.
• The SIR will involve voters filling out eligibility forms adn submitting supporting documents to reduce duplication and update records.
• Odisha has linked 90% of Electors’ Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) with Aadhaar numbers, minimizing duplication. During routine revisions, 7,000 duplicate EPICs matching voters outside the state were replaced with new ones.
• preparations for the SIR include mobilizing manpower for 45,000 polling booths across the state; currently, there are only 38,000 booths. Government employees like teachers will be utilized for this effort.
• The draft roll after the SIR will be published on January 6. Dates for objections and verification remain unchanged unless extended by ECI.
• Regarding concerns from Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over discrepancies in the 2024 elections:

– CEO Odisha stated that BJD filed complaints six months post-election instead of within the required period.
– No othre political parties have raised similar issues about the election process.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
The upcoming Special Intensive Revision reflects ECI’s proactive measures to ensure cleaner and error-free electoral rolls in Odisha by addressing voter duplication and improving inclusiveness through systematic documentation updates.Linking EPICs with Aadhaar data is likely to enhance accuracy while maintaining transparency.

However, logistical challenges for mobilizing additional booth-level personnel highlight an area requiring efficient resource allocation given existing constraints on permanent governmental staff availability.Simultaneously occurring, criticisms from political stakeholders like BJD underline issues surrounding delayed grievance filing rather than systemic irregularities per se-casting duty back on timely procedural adherence by complainants themselves.

Ultimately, such periodic overhauls reinforce Indian democracy’s commitment to credibility in its election systems but require rigorous public trust-building efforts against occasional skepticism voiced by parties or citizens alike.

Read more at The Hindu