Election Commission Launches Groundbreaking Training for Over 100,000 Booth Level Officers
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The Election Commission has initiated its first training program for over 100,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to enhance the electoral process. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar emphasized the importance of this program in ensuring effective voter registration and communication.
Key Takeaways
- Over 1 lakh BLOs to be trained across India.
- Focus on error-free electoral rolls.
- Training includes IT applications for BLOs.
- Emphasis on politeness during voter interactions.
- State governments urged to appoint qualified EROs.
New Delhi, March 26 (NationPress) The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar officially launched the inaugural training session for Booth Level Officers (BLOs), accompanied by Election Commissioner Dr Vivek Joshi, at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi on Wednesday.
In total, more than 1 lakh BLOs, averaging one per 10 polling stations, will undergo training through these programs over the coming years. These highly trained BLOs are set to become a network of Assembly Level Master Trainers (ALMTs) to bolster the entire BLO framework across the nation, acting as the primary link between 100 crore electors and the Commission.
This innovative capacity-building initiative will unfold in phases, with an initial focus on states preparing for upcoming elections. Presently, 109 BLOs from Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam are engaged in this two-day residential training, joined by 24 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and 13 District Election Officers (DEOs) from Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu.
The training aims to equip BLOs with knowledge about their roles and responsibilities under the Representation of the People Act (RP Act) 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules 1960, and various directives issued by the Commission over time. They will also be trained on completing necessary forms to ensure accurate updates of electoral rolls and will be introduced to IT applications that facilitate their duties.
BLOs serve as state government officials appointed by the EROs with the consent of the DEOs. CEC Gyanesh Kumar emphasized the vital functions of EROs and BLOs in maintaining error-free electoral rolls, urging state governments to appoint SDM level or equivalent officials as EROs who should then select BLOs based on their seniority and residency at their designated polling stations.
The CEC reminded attendees that, according to Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 20 of the RP Act 1950, only Indian citizens who are 18 years or older and reside in the constituency can be registered as voters. He reiterated his instructions to all Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), DEOs, and EROs to convene all-party discussions at their respective levels to address jurisdictional issues, including the accurate updating of electoral rolls.
Furthermore, he warned that any complaints against EROs or BLOs would be taken seriously. He urged all BLOs to maintain politeness when interacting with voters during the house-to-house verification process for electoral roll updates. He assured that the Commission has, and will always, stand by the nearly 100 crore electors.
