Challenges in the Management of Electoral Rolls Priyank Bharti, IAS DC Cum DEO, Jalandhar, Punjab

Article 326 envisages “ALL and ONLY the ELIGIBLE should be enlisted for voting into the Electoral Rolls”

 Major Components of Eligible Voter  Citizen of India  Adult Suffrage (18 Yrs)  Ordinary Residency – Permanent / Temporary, in the Constituency  Other Components  Photographs  Duplication of votes  EPICs  Other details and conditions

 Firstly to ensure that conditions are met  Secondly to ensure that all entitled are enlisted ……Just imagine On an Average there are  Around 1.5 lacs voters  40 thousand households  135 Polling Stations  Scattered over 430 sq. kms area in an Assembly Constituency

INFORMATION OF VOTERS – WHERE TO COLLECT !  No Comprehensive Data-Base of Population available  Floating Population in Urban Areas  Adults working  Students (Literate) generally out for colleges, schools  Women many a times are illiterate and not aware of the documents, proof and copies thereof  Photographs not readily available Elections and especially the voter lists are not taken seriously by the voters

BOOTH LEVEL OFFICERS  Generally Group-C Officials (Clerical Grade) from Government Departments.. who can’t escape now  Pressure of Work from the Parent Department  Family exigencies  No Secretariat assistance – all on oneself. Too much of work and reporting.  Moving on foot  Running against time  Having greatest responsibility ….Highly De-motivated

ELECTORAL REGISTRATION OFFICERS (ERO)  Mostly fresh IAS Officers or PCS Officers  Shortage of officers and officials in the state  Lots of other ‘High Priority’ jobs.. And no end to it  Lack of infrastructure... Fax, manpower, space for meetings, funds etc. ….Becomes a ‘Routine’ Exercise

POLITICAL PARITIES AND POLITICIANS  Political Parties and Politicians at cross purpose with the EROs and the exercise.  Feeling of suspicion  No Seriousness. Party HQ not very pressing. Most Importantly the Candidates finalized only at the last moment. ….Considers it a Routine Exercise

EXTERNAL AGENCY FOR PRINTING AND INCLUSION OF PHOTOGRAPHS, EPIC  Printing Outsourced  Photography and Inclusion thereof outsourced  Mismatch in Data  EPIC job outsourced  Mismatch in Data

Electoral Roll

AS FAR AS VOTERS  Database of UID / Census and integration with Electoral Roll Data Base  Information campaigns  Specific targeting  Colleges  Industrial Houses  Villages

ERO’S  One Revision per Year at the most  Providing Monetary Incentives  Not possible to relieve from other Multifarious duties  Will not be observed as a ‘Routing Affair’  Even forceful message of seriousness of Election Commission  Consolidation of EROs offices  Manpower, office infrastructure  Funds cushion.....consolidation with local elections requirements too  Refinement in Information requirements

BOOTH LEVEL OFFICERS  One Revision per Year at the most  Spanning 3-5 Days  Providing Better Monetary Incentives  Departments like Posts, Insurance Companies, Banking Officials to be also involved as BLOs  Exemptions to departments be reviewed  Refinement in Information requirements  Usage of Technology. Through SMS updation of reports.