'Work to make electoral roll error-free, inclusive during SSR: UP CEO to poll officials

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa on Saturday directed the district election officers, electoral registration officers (EROs) and assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) from across the state to work with "utmost seriousness" during the Special Summary Revision (SSR) to make the electoral roll error-free, accurate and inclusive.

In a review meeting held through video conferencing, the CEO said that during the Special Summary Revision (SIR), all eligible citizens who attain the age of 18 years on January 1, 2027, can apply for inclusion of their names in the electoral roll.

Also, advance applications should also be obtained from prospective young voters who will attain the age of 18 on April 1, July 1 and October 1, 2027, so that they may get the opportunity to become voters on the prescribed qualifying dates, he added.

Rinwa said that cooperation of booth-level agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties should be ensured to make the electoral roll completely inclusive.

He instructed that eligible citizens should be identified through various government departments, social organisations, resident welfare associations (RWAs), educational institutions and other entities, and motivated to get their names registered in the electoral roll.

He said Form-6 should be filled in for all eligible citizens who have been left out and that they should be included in the electoral roll.

The CEO directed that meetings should be held at the district and Assembly constituency levels with representatives of recognised national and state-level political parties, and copies of the draft electoral roll be published on November 17 along with the supplementary lists prepared after the SIR-2026 should be provided to them.

Booth level officers (BLOs) will have to hold meetings with BLAs appointed by political parties to examine the draft electoral roll, identify necessary corrections in it and take action as per the rules, he said.

For the convenience of voters, the published draft roll has to be uploaded on the official website of the district election officer so that anyone can easily view and download it.

The officers were asked to ensure that the lists of claims and objections received during the claims and objections period, in Forms 9, 10, 11, 11A and 11B, are uploaded daily on the DEO's website. During the period for receiving claims and objections (from November 17 to December 16), the ERO shall hold a meeting with representatives of political parties every week and ensure that compiled printed lists are provided to them, it was stated during the meeting.

Rinwa informed that under the SIR, special campaign days will be organised at the state's 1,73,730 polling booths on November 21 and 22, and November 28 and 29. On these days, the BLOs will mandatorily remain present at all polling stations across the state from 10 am to 4 pm.

He also issued instructions to set up help desks at all polling stations and provide drinking water and other necessary basic facilities for the convenience of citizens. He said that for the convenience of the general public, trained personnel should be deployed during the SSR, and a sufficient number of help desks should also be established at public places at the district and Assembly constituency levels, where all necessary forms should be made available. The special campaign days and the voter registration process should be widely publicised through various publicity mediums, he added.

The CEO directed that EROs should select designated locations and appoint designated officers in accordance with the prescribed norms within the stipulated time.

Such officers, he said, should decide who can remain present at the designated location during office hours on every working day. In case an officer remains absent on any working day, an alternative arrangement should also be made so that people do not face any inconvenience in submitting applications, the CEO stated, adding that headmasters or other teachers of primary schools, as well as at least Class III academic and non-academic employees of other educational institutions, may be appointed as designated officers.

Besides providing all designated officers with a sufficient number of Forms 6, 7 and 8, proper training should also be imparted to them regarding work related to claims and objections, the officials were instructed. Copies of the draft and supplementary electoral rolls should also be provided to the designated officers to enable them to verify the names of citizens, he said.

Rinwa directed that during the SIR, the work of BLO supervisors and BLOs should be closely supervised by the EROs/AEROs, while the work of EROs/AEROs should be closely supervised by the District Election Officers. He instructed all officers to complete all tasks related to the Special Summary Revision-2027 within the prescribed time limit, with quality, transparency and accountability, so that an error-free and inclusive electoral roll can be prepared in the state.