Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 11 Jun: A media interaction was held at the Secretariat here on Wednesday under the directive of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr BVRC Purushottam. During the session, the CEO interacted with representatives from various media organisations and provided detailed information about the new initiatives undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to enhance voter convenience, strengthen the information system, and introduce reforms in the electoral process.
Dr Purushottam stated that several impactful steps have recently been taken by the ECI with a focus on voter facilitation. In a significant move, the maximum number of voters per polling station has been reduced from 1,500 to 1,200. This decision will lead to the establishment of over 1,000 new polling booths in the state, ensuring ease of access and reducing long queues on polling day. Additional booths may also be set up in high-rise buildings and dense residential colonies under the new guidelines.
As part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative, monthly voter awareness campaigns based on unique themes are being carried out across the state.
Dr Purushottam also announced that voter list updates will now integrate death registration data directly from the Registrar General of India (RGI) database, allowing for timely and verified deletions from the rolls.
Additionally, mobile deposit facilities will be made available at each polling booth, and voter information slips will be redesigned for better user accessibility — with clearer visibility of voter serial numbers and part numbers.
Highlighting efforts to ensure inclusive electoral participation, Dr Purushottam stated that 85 meetings have been held so far with recognised political parties in Uttarakhand. These include 2 meetings at the CEO level, 13 at the DEO level, and 70 at the ERO level. Furthermore, regular training sessions for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are being organised in New Delhi, with 70 BLOs and supervisors already trained in the first phase.
The process of appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs) by recognised political parties is also underway.
On this occasion, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and Media Nodal Officer Mukta Mishra delivered a detailed presentation on the electoral initiatives.
Also present at the event were Additional CEO Dr Vijay Kumar Jogdande, Deputy CEOs Kishan Singh Negi and Mastu Das, and Deputy Director, Information, Ravi Bijaraniya.
