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CEC Gyanesh Kumar: Accurate Voter List is Democracy's Strongest Foundation

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that an accurate voter list forms the strongest foundation of democracy, stating that including non-citizens violates the Constitution. He announced the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, already started in 12 states, will be implemented nationwide to safeguard the democratic process. Kumar, interacting with Booth Level Officers in Jharkhand, described BLOs as the invisible heroes and backbone of democracy, addressing past challenges by providing them official identity cards. He expressed confidence that Jharkhand would conduct the intensive revision with complete transparency and fairness when announced.

Key Points: CEC Stresses Accurate Voter List as Pillar of Democracy

  • SIR initiated in 12 states for electoral roll purity
  • BLOs described as democracy's backbone
  • Official ID cards issued to BLOs
  • Process allows claims post-draft list
  • Goal: no eligible citizen left out
2 min read

Accurate voter list prepared through SIR strongest foundation of democracy: CEC Gyanesh Kumar

CEC Gyanesh Kumar calls accurate voter rolls democracy's foundation, announces Special Intensive Revision across India to ensure electoral sanctity.

"An accurate voter list is the strongest foundation of democracy - CEC Gyanesh Kumar"

Deoghar/Dumka, Jan 5 Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar on Monday said that an accurate voter list is the strongest foundation of democracy and the inclusion of even a single non-citizen in the electoral roll is against the Constitution.

Speaking to the media after interacting with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in Deoghar and Dumka districts of Jharkhand, the CEC said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has already been initiated in 12 states to safeguard the sanctity of the democratic process and will be implemented across the country in the coming days.

He emphasised that the festival of democracy -- the general elections -- can be celebrated meaningfully only based on a completely accurate voter list.

During his two-day visit to Jharkhand's two districts, Gyanesh Kumar held detailed discussions with BLOs on the electoral process, purification of voter rolls, and measures to ensure transparent and fair voting.

He explained that the SIR process is simple, transparent, and provides ample opportunity for citizens to file claims and objections even after the draft voter list is prepared at the district level.

He added that individuals who are unable to participate at that stage are given an additional month for inspection and appeal. The SIR process will also be implemented in Jharkhand in the future, he said.

Addressing the BLO interaction programme at Shri Shri Mohananand Vidyalaya in Tapovan, Deoghar, the CEC described Booth Level Officers as the invisible heroes of democracy.

He said that just as an accurate voter list is the foundation of democracy, BLOs are its backbone.

Reiterating the Election Commission's commitment, he said the objective is to ensure that no eligible Indian citizen is left out of the electoral rolls.

Referring to challenges faced during earlier door-to-door verification exercises, Gyanesh Kumar noted that BLOs previously did not have official identity cards, often leading to suspicion among residents.

He said the Election Commission of India has now issued official identity cards to BLOs to address this issue.

The CEC also said he closely reviewed electoral preparedness in Jharkhand during his visit and expressed confidence that whenever the intensive revision programme is announced in the state, it will be conducted with complete transparency and fairness.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally, BLOs are getting the recognition they deserve! My uncle is a BLO in our village, and he often faced issues because people didn't believe he was from the EC. The official ID card is a simple but crucial move. Hope this leads to better voter awareness in rural areas.
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Rahul R
While the intent is good, the execution is key. We've heard promises of clean rolls before. The "additional month for inspection" is important – citizens must actively check the draft lists online and raise objections if they see discrepancies. Democracy needs our participation too.
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Sarah B
As someone who recently moved cities, I found the voter registration process quite cumbersome. If this SIR makes it more transparent and gives a longer window for appeals, that's a welcome change. Ensuring every eligible citizen can vote should be the top priority.
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Vikram M
Strong foundation, strong democracy. The CEC is absolutely right. We must protect the sanctity of our vote. Special focus should be on border areas and places with high population mobility to prevent any non-citizen inclusion. This is about national integrity.
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Nisha Z
I appreciate the respectful tone of this article and the CEC's focus on inclusion ("no eligible citizen left out"). Sometimes these drives are only about removing names. A balance is needed. And calling elections a "festival of democracy" – what a beautiful way to put it! 🎉

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