Nomination For Best Electoral “Management of Electoral Rolls” Practices Award, 2015 In the Category of “Management of Electoral Rolls” A Presentation By Smt. Manmeet Nanda, IAS District Election Officer & District Magistrate, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

North 24 Parganas District : At a Glance The district is surrounded by Bangladesh in the east, Hooghly River & Kolkata in the west, Bangladesh and Nadia District in the North & South 24-Parganas in the South. Area : 4094 sq. KM No. of Sub Divisions : 5 No. of Blocks : 22 No. of M. Corpn. : 1 Municipalities : 26 Police Stations : 45

Electoral Profile of the District (As on 01.09.2015) No. of Parliamentary Constituencies 5 No. of Assembly Constituencies 33 Total Electors 69,23,539 Total Male Electors 35,67,943 Total Female Electors 33,55,517 Total Third Gender Electors 79 Elector Population Ratio 0.65 Gender Ratio 940 Total no of Polling stations 8253 Total no of Polling Station Locations 4666

Earlier Achievements ​State Best Electoral Practices Award, 2013 for outstanding contribution and innovative measures towards making electoral roll error free, photo electoral coverage, Voters’ Education resulting in greater enrolment of women and youth, capacity building of BLOs and improved complaint management system in the district. State Best Electoral Practices Award, 2014 for qualitative improvement  Electoral Rolls through dynamic community participation, in particular participation of women in electoral registration process during Pre-revision and SRER-2015. Nominated at National Level for Special Award in multi-dimensional interventions taken for different activities during Parliament General Elections, 2014.

Challenges faced in SRER-2016 Diversity in respect of population mix, language, culture, geography and livelihoods. 33 Assembly Constituencies (max. in the Country) spread over one Municipal Corporation, 26 Municipalities and 22 blocks. Densely populated with 54% urban population. 309.47 km International Border with Bangladesh. Traditional Industrial belt with Migrant Labour Population. Floating population in IT and Educational Hub.

Strategy for SRER-2016 Intensive exercise to make the Electoral Roll clean and error free. Special drive for Distribution of undistributed EPICs and disposal of defective/returned/old EPICs Intensive SVEEP activities and close monitoring in AC with health indices below district average. Special importance to improve gender ratio and %of 18-19 yrs elector. Polling stations below district average in the said two indices were also identified for special attention. Regular interaction with political parties at different levels and identification of gaps based on feedback received. Close Supervision and monitoring involving senior officers in addition to designated officers. Converging initiatives with other Government Departments and programmes

Initiatives Undertaken Observation of Special Roll Cleaning Day Observed on 15-09-2015 in a festive manner throughout the district. All the Officers and field level workers (SDOs-EROs-AEROs- Supervisors-BLOs) conducted the exercise. District Election Officer, Additional District Magistrates & other senior officers of district Head quarter were also in the field on that day. Repeated Entries (160), Junk Characters (2003), Errors in the Top Sheet (837), Errors in Poling Station Maps (64), Blurred /Unidentifiable images (2509) were identified through field visit and table work All such Corrections have been incorporated in Roll during SRER-2016

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Disposal of EPIC : The week from 16.11.2015 to 20.11.2015 was earmarked as EPIC Disposal Week following due procedure. All the undistributed EPIC of Permanent EPIC Centre, Offices of EROs & AEROs, Supervisors and BLOs were distributed through House to House visit by BLOs. 5579 numbers of EPICs were distributed during this week. 219021 numbers of defective / returned / old EPICs were disposed off at end of the week. SDO Bidhannagar disposing EPIC with in shredding machine

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Supervision and Monitoring: Meeting/ Video Conference by the District Election Officer with SDOs/EROs/ BDOs fortnightly. Additional District Magistrates and other senior officers like PD DRDC and Secretary Zilla Parishad were assigned 5-6 AC each for close monitoring. Random checking and verification by DEO and other senior officers. 7176 nos of disposed Forms and 1497 nos of suo moto deletions (other than death ) in 33 ACs cross checked by DEO and other senior officers Meeting at the level of EROs with BDOs / AEROs / Supervisors and BLOs on every Friday EROs taken hearing personally in 472 parts and disposed 8788 forms. BDOs / Charge Officers personally taken hearing in 805 parts and disposed 17882 forms.

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Feedback back from Political parties through regular Interaction: Four meetings with political parties held at DEO level during SRER-2016 Similarly , Meetings were also held at Sub-Division, ERO and Block levels All their suggestions /complaints were considered and addressed with due care Initiatives related to Roll Cleaning / SVEEP, related materials and toll free help line number were publicised through them

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. “Yuva Shakti Diwas” Special enrollment drive undertaken on 17/09/2015 Aimed at universal Enrollment of eligible youth studying in educational institutions (University, Colleges, Training Institutes and High Schools) throughout the district Team with EROs/AEROs and supporting staff for collection and disposal of Form- 6 at the institute’s campus. Camps organized in 330 institutions and a total of 11674 nos of Form-6 were collected on that day.

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Involvement of “Shiksha Bandhu” ‘Siksha Bandhu’ (the ground level supervisor under Sarva Shiksha Mission, also known as ‘Shiksha Mitra’ in few states) to motivate prospective electors among the students studying in high schools. Distribution of Form-6 and collection of filled up forms from educational institutions of their jurisdictions. Targeting K2 beneficiaries of “Kanyashree” “Kanyashree Prokalpa” (Scheme of Social Welfare Deptt., Govt of W.B.) seeks to improve the well being and status of the girls. One time grant of Rs. 25,000 is given to unmarried girls completing 18 years (K2) K2 beneficiaries of the district (28150 Nos) were distributed Form-6 through Social Welfare Deptt. to ensure their enrolment .

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. “Let us play, Let us enroll” Friendly Football Match ---“District Administration XI” Vs “Elector’s XI” Organized on 26/09/2015 at District Head Quarter as a part of SVEEP campaign of SRER-2016. Matches were also organized at Sub-Divisional and Block Head Quarters between “SDO XI” and “Electors XI” and “BDO XI” and “Elector’s XI” on the same day. Extensive Publicity made through special audio prepared for this purpose. Forms of SRER-2016 distributed from the play grounds . Activities of SRER-2016 with special mention of last date of submission of forms were also announced. Special Publicity audio for the Football Match : Link

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Painting Platform/ Sidewall of Community Tube Well SVEEP messages painted on the platforms / adjoining walls of Community Tube-wells as part of awareness campaign to reach eligible unregistered rural women

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Generation of awareness on EPIC (“Click Your EPIC Photo”) Dummy EPIC with hollow space for taking photograph was prepared. It was kept at City Centres / Shopping Malls People were asked to stand and capture their photographs with dummy EPIC on his / her mobile phone. Urban youth and floating population were targeted Aimed at combating urban apathy and to popularize use of EPIC.

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Appeal Audio of District Election Officer An audio appeal of the District Election Officer urging the eligible electors for enrolment Also appeal to registered electors for voluntary disclosure of other EPIC/enrolment Audio was mixed up with local catchy songs and music Was played at traffic signals, ferry ghats and other conspicuous public places to catch attention of the mobile population. Special Audio appeal of the District Election Officer : English Special Audio appeal of the District Election Officer : Bengali

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Workshop at IT Sector Special initiative for IT Companies of Sector-V of Salt Lake area under 116-Bidhannagar AC Sensitization of employees at work place for enrolment in Electoral Roll. Procedures for online application for enrolment, correction, voluntary disclosure etc were demonstrated. SDO Bidhannagar interacting with IT professionals in workshops at Sector-V, Salt Lake

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Generation of Awareness through other initiatives Stickers with Message of SVEEP Poster / Flex / Banner/Pamphlets Programme by Folk Artists Mobilization through SHG Formation of Human Chain Facebook Account of District Election Section Rallies

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Generation of Awareness through other initiatives Drawing (“Drawing in Delight”) Competition on “Model Polling Station in your vision” Quiz competition on “Our Election-Our Electoral Roll” Convergence with MGNREGA Applicants of SC/ST/OBC certificate and BCW/Minority Scholarships Registered Youth Clubs, Sports Association Involvement of Health (ASHA & ANM) and ICDS workers The Platform of International Literacy Day

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Stickers used during SRER-16 Poster with appeal to electors Pamphlets used in campaign Flex displayed on vehicle

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Stickers and Pamphlets pasted on Gas Cylinders Stickers pasted on sweet packets SVEEP Materials: Pen, Key Ring, Pamphlet, Sticker Flex displayed outside Hospital

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Street programs by Folk Artists as a part of SVEEP during SRER-2016 Human chain on 2nd Special Campaign Day Human chain formed with “Kanyashree (K2)” beneficiaries (school girls) completing 18 years

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. Students participated in drawing competition – “Drawing in Delight” Quiz Competition (“Our Election-Our Electoral Roll”) organized at Schools Drawings of students

Initiatives Undertaken…Contd. BLO distributing pamphlets Facebook profile of District Election Section, North 24 Parganas Women electors with Voter Slip at polling station

Impact Analysis 21.96% 21.96% Increase in submission of form-6 by Female Applicants in SRER-2016 as compared to SRER-2015

Impact Analysis…Contd. 47.13% Form 6 submission by Female (222755) is higher as compared to Male (198535) in SRER-2016

Impact Analysis…Contd. Improvement in gender Ratio to 950 in proposed final Roll from 940 in draft roll during SRER-2016

Corrections identified Impact Analysis 165.5% Corrections identified by BLO during House to House Survey Form-8 Received During SRER-2016 165% Achievement of corrections as compared to BLO house to house survey

Impact Analysis Improvement in Elector Population Ratio to 0.67 in proposed final Roll from 0.65 in draft roll during SRER-2016

Impact Analysis Improvement in 18-19 years age group elector to 2.68% in proposed final Roll from 1.10% in draft roll during SRER-2016

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