ElectionRolls – Delhi Parties Coordinate Ahead of Major Voter Verification Drive
ElectionRolls – The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer’s office on Tuesday conducted its first coordination meeting with political parties following the announcement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a large-scale voter verification exercise scheduled to begin on June 30.
Officials briefed party representatives on the complete process, including timelines, responsibilities, and methods of voter verification. Questions raised by political parties during the discussion were also addressed. According to officials present at the meeting, representatives from various parties assured the Election Commission of their cooperation to ensure the smooth implementation of the exercise across the national capital.
Focus on Coordination Between Election Staff and Party Workers
A key area of discussion during the meeting was the coordination between Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who work under the Election Commission, and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties. Election authorities stressed that close cooperation between both groups would be necessary for carrying out the revision process efficiently and avoiding confusion at polling booth levels.
A senior Delhi BJP functionary associated with election-related coordination stated that the party had already appointed nearly 12,600 BLAs across polling booths in preparation for the exercise. These agents are expected to assist voters and help verify information during the revision period.
Door-to-Door Verification to Begin June 30
As part of the Special Intensive Revision, BLOs will begin door-to-door visits from June 30 to verify voter information. During these visits, officials will distribute enumeration forms that residents will need to fill out and return for updating electoral records.
Election authorities have also introduced an online submission facility for completed forms to simplify the process for residents. In addition, political party representatives serving as BLAs will be allowed to submit up to 50 completed forms each day on behalf of voters.
The verification process is expected to cover all eligible residents who are at least 18 years old by October 1, which has been fixed as the qualifying date for inclusion in the electoral rolls.
Timeline Announced for Electoral Roll Revision
The Election Commission has outlined a detailed schedule for the exercise. Door-to-door verification activities will continue until July 29. Following this phase, the draft electoral roll will be released on August 5 for public review and objections.
After considering corrections and claims, the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on October 7.
Officials from the CEO’s office stated that the primary objective of the revision is to ensure that every eligible citizen is included in the voter list while preventing the inclusion of ineligible names.
Political Parties Step Up Preparations
Political parties in Delhi have already intensified preparations by conducting training sessions for their BLAs across nearly 13,000 polling booths in the city.
Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said the party had completed preparations at booth level and deployed workers to monitor the process closely. He added that the party wanted to prevent any disruption during the revision exercise.
Senior Congress leaders Rajesh Garg and Sunil Kumar also attended the meeting on behalf of the party. Congress representatives reportedly raised concerns regarding incomplete voter mapping work and suggested that special camps should be organised to assist voters. They also demanded coloured copies of voter lists for easier verification by party agents.
Representatives from several political organisations, including the BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, BSP, CPM, and other regional groups, participated in the meeting held by the Chief Electoral Officer’s office.
The Special Intensive Revision is considered an important administrative exercise ahead of future elections in Delhi, with authorities aiming to improve the accuracy and transparency of the electoral database across the city.