Maharashtra: Names of voters sans pics to be deleted from poll roll

PUNE: Names of all voters without photographs in Maharashtra will be deleted after field verification by September 15 ahead of the summary revision of the draft electoral roll to be published on November 9.
The exercise is a part of a pre-special summary revision activity by all states in accordance with the Election Commission of India's (ECI) direction. Data revealed that Maharashtra had around 21,480 residual voters, or electors with no photographs.
All district collectors and electoral registration officers have been directed to verify such voters at the addresses provided by them and delete names of people who have permanently shifted. If such voters are found at their addresses, the officials would collect their photographs and Electors Photo Identification Cards (Epic) be delivered to them by speed post.
Maharashtra chief electoral officer Shrikant Deshpande told TOI that ahead of the publication of the draft roll, all demographically similar entries, photo similar entries and duplicate EPICs would be deleted after field verification. He said the logical errors in the names would be corrected.
"In Maharashtra, the deadline for the activity is September 15. We have told the district officials to comply with the ECI's directive," he said. When the state had started the activity, there were around 28 lakh residual voters. "The number is now down to 21,480 after due checks,"
The draft electoral roll, prepared on the basis of the Assembly constituencies, is used for all local polls and the correction of names on the voter's list is essential. An election officer, who was in Pune for the verification, said the process was "humongous".
Besides verification of the voters' list, rationalisation and physical inspection of the polling stations would be carried out to update the current status of such facilities, the officer said. "The purpose of the exercise is to ensure that the number of voters in each polling station does not exceed 1,500. Another aim is to see if the polling stations have to be shifted to places with better facilities," he said.
Ahead of the 2024 assembly and parliamentary polls, all polling stations have to be on the ground floor and need to have basic minimum facilities. A list of the dilapidated polling structures or facilities that have to be changed for factors such as road widening has to be prepared by the collectors and submitted to the authorities.
Citizens and activists have been demanding an easy registration and information update process. The ECI apps such as NVSP and Voters' Helpline App are now being popularised to help new voters get registered or apply for deletion or modifications of particular data. Activist Ravindra Sinha said there should be a discussion at the local level to ensure participation of new voters and women and youth electorate. "Ward-level camps are essential for this," he said.