QR code-based ballot box distribution for upcoming local body poll

In a bid to step up preparedness for elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Bodies due later this year, a meeting was held here today under the chairmanship of State Election Commissioner Anil Kumar Khachi.

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Addressing the meeting, Khachi said the commission had prepared a new inventory management application where it was proposed to give ballot boxes to the polling parties by scanning the QR code of this application.

He said all material related to the election was also proposed to be distributed through this application. He directed the district administration to destroy the records of the old election as per the rules and ensure cleanliness of the election storage room. “In view of the impending elections, it is the responsibility of the district administration to strictly comply with the rules issued from time to time by the State Election Commission, including ward demarcation, updating of voter lists and reservation etc,” he remarked.

He directed that as per the programme issued by the commission for the election, wide publicity of the programme of ward demarcation and revision of voter lists etc should be ensured so that people can get timely informatio. He said press conferences, hoardings, banners and other publicity material should be used for publicity.

Khachi directed the District Magistrate that after the reorganisation of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the work of the determination and reservation of wards should be completed by June 30. He said the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commission were different institutions and the voter lists of both the commissions were different. “It is necessary to tell the people that for voting in the local body elections, the name of the voter should be included in the voter list of the State Election Commission. Voting cannot be done only by having a voter ID card. It is necessary to have the name in the respective voter list for voting.”

He said that while publishing the draft voter lists of the State Election Commission, people should be made aware so that they could check their and their family members name in the respective ward of residence in these lists.

The State Election Commissioner directed that to make the voter lists error-free and to increase the voting percentage, the representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban bodies should be requested to actively contribute in this work.

He also stressed on the need for regular training of officers and employees contributing in the election work. He said training programmes should be organised at the district level as well as block level.

Election Officer of the State Election Commission Sanjeev Kumar Mahajan provided detailed information about various processes related to the election through a presentation.