MP Chief Electoral Officer urges parties to enrol missing voters in electoral rolls
Synopsis
Madhya Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer has called on all major political parties — from BJP and Congress to AAP, CPI and BSP — to jointly drive voter enrolment through Booth Level Agents, targeting first-time and previously excluded voters in a statewide campaign. With Form-6 confusion now clarified and district-level officials on standby, the push reflects a rare moment of cross-party coordination on electoral infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar Jha met representatives of recognised political parties on 13 October 2026 in Bhopal .
Parties were urged to deploy Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to identify and register eligible voters missing from electoral rolls.
The campaign covers all districts and specifically targets first-time and young voters .
Eligible citizens must submit Form-6 with required documents; no separate declaration form is needed after filing.
Assistance is available from SDMs and tehsildars at tehsil level and District Election Officers at the district level.
Representatives of AAP, BJP, Congress, CPI, and BSP attended the meeting.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar Jha on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, called on recognised political parties across the state to actively assist in identifying eligible voters whose names remain absent from electoral rolls and help register them through Booth Level Agents (BLAs). The appeal was made at a multi-party meeting held at the Chief Electoral Officer's office in Bhopal, as part of a statewide special voter registration campaign currently underway.
What the Campaign Targets
Jha said the drive is focused on enrolling eligible citizens who have so far been left out of the photo electoral rolls, with a special emphasis on first-time voters and young voters. The campaign is being implemented in every district of Madhya Pradesh, covering voter registration awareness, application collection, and end-to-end assistance for eligible citizens completing the process.
'The special campaign is being conducted in every district to facilitate the inclusion of eligible voters who have been left out of the electoral roll, as well as young and first-time voters,' Jha said.
Registration Process and Key Clarifications
Eligible citizens can apply for inclusion in the electoral roll by submitting Form-6 along with the required documents under the prescribed procedure. Jha clarified that applicants are not required to submit a separate declaration form after filing Form-6 — a point intended to remove confusion that had reportedly been holding some applicants back.
For assistance, citizens can approach Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and tehsildars at the tehsil level, while District Election Officers are available to provide support at the district level.
Political Parties Present at the Meeting
Representatives from five recognised parties attended the meeting: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (Congress), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Senior election officials including Joint Chief Electoral Officer R.P.S. Jadaun and Deputy Chief Electoral Officers Sanjay Srivastava, Rajesh Yadav, and Virendra Singh were also present.
Why Booth Level Agents Matter
Jha stressed the need for close coordination between election officials and political parties, particularly through BLAs — party-appointed representatives at the booth level who play a frontline role in the continuous updating of voter lists. This is the standard mechanism used by the Election Commission of India to keep electoral rolls current between formal revision cycles. Notably, the participation of multiple parties signals a cross-partisan push to improve voter list accuracy ahead of future electoral exercises in the state.
What Happens Next
The special campaign will continue across all districts as part of the ongoing voter list revision process. Officials have indicated that the drive will persist until eligible citizens have had a fair opportunity to register, ensuring that the electoral rolls accurately reflect the voting-age population of Madhya Pradesh.
Point of View
But the real test is whether BLAs on the ground prioritise universal enrolment over partisan targeting. Historically, parties have been selective in whom they help register, gravitating toward likely supporters. Without independent monitoring of BLA activity, a well-intentioned campaign can quietly skew outcomes. The clarification on Form-6 is a small but meaningful transparency step — one that should have been communicated to the public, not just party representatives at a closed-door meeting.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the special voter registration campaign in Madhya Pradesh?
It is a statewide drive led by the Chief Electoral Officer to enrol eligible voters — particularly first-time and young voters — who are currently missing from Madhya Pradesh's electoral rolls. The campaign is active across all districts and involves political parties' Booth Level Agents in the registration process.
How can an eligible citizen register to vote in Madhya Pradesh?
Eligible citizens can apply by submitting Form-6 along with required documents under the prescribed procedure. Importantly, applicants do not need to submit a separate declaration form after filing Form-6. Help is available from SDMs and tehsildars at the tehsil level, and from District Election Officers at the district level.
Why are political parties being involved in voter enrolment?
The Election Commission uses Booth Level Agents — party-appointed representatives at polling booth level — as a frontline mechanism for continuously updating voter lists. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar Jha has urged parties to activate these agents to identify and assist unregistered eligible voters.
Which political parties participated in the Bhopal meeting?
Representatives of five recognised parties attended: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (Congress), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
What is Form-6 and who needs to submit it?
Form-6 is the prescribed application form for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll. Any eligible citizen whose name is not yet on the voter list must submit this form with supporting documents. No additional declaration form is required after filing Form-6, as clarified by the Chief Electoral Officer.
