STATE TIMES NEWS
DODA: Commissioner Secretary, Cooperative, Yasha Mudgal, who is also designated Observer for Electoral Rolls for Doda, on Sunday reviewed progress on Special Summary Revision in the distr.
She had exhaustive interaction with District Election Officer, Harvinder Singh (DC), EROs, AEROs, BLOs and other stakeholders regarding progress on ongoing Special Summary Revision of Photo Electoral Roll. A Preamble Reading Ceremony was also held during the meeting, administered by the Commissioner Secretary on Constitution Day. Pertinently, the ECI has recently started the revision of electoral rolls ahead of the upcoming elections with the objective of preparing error-free electoral rolls with a special focus on the inclusion of new eligible voters, who are going to attain the age of 18 years on 1st of January 2024.
She also conducted an extensive tour of Polling Stations of Doda to oversee the ongoing Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls with respect to 01/01/2024 as qualifying date.
Yasha Mudgal inspected Election Office, Control Room and Strong Room and expressed satisfaction on the safe custody of EVMs, Election related machinery, and record.
While interacting with representatives of various political parties in the conference hall of DC office complex Doda, Commissioner Secretary urged upon them to appoint and activate Booth Level Agents (BLAs) for assisting Electoral Officials in updating and preparing error free Photo Electoral Rolls for each polling stations.
During her meeting with EROs, AEROs and BLOs, Commissioner Secretary stressed on inclusion of every eligible voters in the Electoral Roll while removing the duplications, and discrepancies so that an error free Photo Electoral Roll is prepared within the stipulated time frame.
Yasha Mudgal asked to set the targets according to the scientific calculations based on the demographic data for registration of new/ eligible voters including Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), so that every eligible citizen is involved in the election of their representative during upcoming elections. She was informed that there are three Assembly Constituencies in Doda, viz 51- Bhaderwah, 52- Doda, and 53-Doda West, with 529 polling stations 22 zones and 109 sectors. The registered voters in the district, as of date, are 302227. Besides, 100 percent of voters have been issued EPICs, and the discrepancies in Electoral Rolls have been removed.
Commissioner Secretary along with District Election Officer inspected various polling stations including Government Higher Secondary School (Boys) Doda, Sheep Husbandry Office Doda, Government Higher Secondary School Girls (Doda), Agriculture Complex Doda, Town Hall Doda, Government Higher Secondary School Khellani, Government High School Jathi, and Government Higher Secondary School Assar. She assessed availability of Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs), for the voters in the visited polling stations.
DEO apprised the Observer that almost all the polling stations have AMFs in place, and some of the deficiencies noticed by him in the review meeting last week shall be rectified by the 3rd of December 2023.
Yasha Mudgal asked the district administration to arrange a workshop for BLAs and BLOs so that their coordinated efforts can be instrumental in bridging the gap between the electoral machinery and political parties in preparing error free Photo Electoral Roll.