EC to seek death details digitally for more accurate electoral rolls

In a bid to update voters' list at a faster pace and make it free of errors, the Election Commission will now obtain death registration data electronically from the Registrar General of India.

The EC said on Thursday this will ensure that the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) receive timely information about registered deaths and allow booth level officers (BLOs) to reverify the information through field visits, without waiting for a formal request by the kin of the deceased.

The poll body has the authority under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 and the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 to seek such details.

To make voter information slips (VIS) more voter friendly, the EC has also decided to modify its design.

The serial number and part number of the voter will now be displayed more prominently, with increased font size, making it easier for voters to identify their polling station and for polling officials to locate their names in the electoral roll efficiently.

The commission has also directed that all BLOs, who are appointed by the EROs, be issued standard photo identity cards to ensure that citizens can recognise and interact confidently with them during voter verification and registration drives.

As the first interface between the voters and the EC in performing election-related duties, it is important that BLOs are easily identifiable to the public while conducting house-to-house visits.

Amid a debate on the purity of electoral rolls, the poll body had said last month that the regular updating process of the voter list would be strengthened in close coordination with the birth and death registration authorities.

Technical consultations between the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and experts of the EC will begin soon on voter list-Aadhaar linkage, it had said.

The EC had also said that though an elector can only vote in the assigned polling booth and nowhere else, the poll body has resolved to remove duplicates countrywide and end the decades-long issue within three months.