SPECIAL EMPHASIS TO BE GIVEN TO REGISTER YOUNGSTERS, TRANSGENDERS AS VOTERS: DISTRICT ELECTORAL OFFICER

Ludhiana, September 7, 2016:District Electoral Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Mr Ravi Bhagat has informed that the District Administration would be giving special emphasis to register youngsters and transgenders as voters so that they can exercise their right to vote in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections. Mr Bhagat said that there would be a large number of first time voters (youngsters) this time, but very few of them are actually registered as voters. So special emphasis would be given to register them.
While chairing a meeting with the representatives of political parties, Mr Ravi Bhagat urged them to assist the District Administration in this regard. He also urged them to help identify and register transgenders as voters, because as per latest data, only around 22 transgenders are registered as voters, whereas their population is higher.
The District Electoral Officer cum Deputy Commissioner informed that under the SVEEP activities of the Election Commission of India, special emphasis is given for increasing the registration of youngsters aged 18-19 years. Under this activity, heads of all government/private schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions, have nominated nodal officers from their respective organisations, who would ensure that their students, who would turn 18 years in age on January 1, 2017 are registered as voters. Besides this, every ERO (Election Registration Officer) has been directed to ensure that the nodal officers of schools, colleges, universities and educational institutions, in their respective areas organise special camps on September 10, September 17 and September 24, where new voters would be registered.
During today’s meeting, Mr Ravi Bhagat also informed that a special drive for maximum voting by visually impaired and elderly voters would also be carried out in the district. He said that these visually impaired would be registered with the district administration in advance and on the basis of the total number of registrations, they would be provided vehicles for ferrying them to polling booths. Mr Bhagat said that auxiliary polling booths would be set up for these voters so that they are able to exercise their right to vote without any problem.
District Electoral Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Mr Ravi Bhagat told the representatives of political parties that the Election Commission of India has issued the programme for the revision of electoral rolls by keeping January 1, 2017as the base. The objections could be submitted from September 7-October 7, 2016. They informed that during this time, forms for making new votes can be submitted with the BLO/Election Registration Officer/District Electoral Officer. Any person who is 18 years of age or older on January 1, 2017, he or she can get their votes made.
The electoral rolls would be announced in Gram Sabha on September 10 & 24, 2016, special camps for filing objections would be organised at concerned polling stations from 9 am to 5 pm on September 11 and 25, 2016 and all objections would be disposed off by November 4, 2016. The entire database would be updated by November 11, 2016 and final publication of electoral rolls would be completed on January 2, 2017.
They informed that for easy registration of voters or for any queries, people can also log in to websites, www.eci.nic.in, www.nvsp.in, www.ceopunjab.nic.in,www.ludhiana.nic.in or can contact at toll free helpline number 1950 or at office number 0161-2431430. They informed that any eligible person can fill form number 6 to get his or her name added in the electoral rolls, form 7 for cancellation of vote and can fill form number 8 for any correction in electoral rolls. The forms for objections (form 6, 6a, 7, 8, 8a) can be collected from BLO/Electoral Registration Officer/District Electoral Officer and these forms can also be downloaded from the above mentioned websites.
Today’s meeting was attended by representatives of Shiromani Akali Dal, Indian National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, CPI and CPI (M).