EC develops app to streamline distribution of election material

State Election Commissioner Anil Kumar Khachi on Friday chaired a meeting at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s office to review and strategize preparations for the upcoming general elections of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), tentatively scheduled for 2025-26.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Additional District Magistrate LR Verma, Assistant Commissioner Vivek Sharma, all Sub-Divisional Magistrates of Sirmaur district, Block Development Officers, Executive Officers, Municipal Secretaries, Panchayat Inspectors and other administrative personnel.

The State Election Commissioner said preliminary preparations for the elections had already commenced.

The repair work of ballot boxes had been completed, and efforts were underway to paint, QR code, oil and grease these boxes. Additionally, a new application, Inventory Management, has been developed by the commission to streamline the distribution of election materials.

Through this application, ballot boxes and other election-related resources would be scanned and allocated using QR codes, simplifying logistics and improving record-keeping. During the meeting, the commissioner instructed district officials to ensure cleanliness and readiness of election storage facilities. He also emphasised the proper disposal of old election records in accordance with established regulations.

He further directed strict compliance with orders related to ward delimitation, voter list updates and reservation procedures. To ensure public awareness of these programmes, he recommended widespread publicity through press conferences, notice boards, hoardings, banners and loudspeakers.