ECI Kicks Off Updation of Electoral Rolls for Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, J&K

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 21st June. In light of the historic participation in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated preparations for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, beginning with the updation of electoral rolls. The pre-Special Summary Revision (pre-SSR) activities are set to commence from June 25, 2024, focusing on establishing and rationalizing polling stations at convenient locations for electors in group housing societies, slums, city outgrowths, and rural areas.

The ECI urges all eligible citizens in Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Jammu & Kashmir to register in the electoral roll. The preparations follow the successful completion of the General Election to the 18th Lok Sabha and are aimed at updating the electoral rolls in these states with respect to July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date.

The terms of the existing Legislative Assemblies in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand will end on November 3, 2024, November 26, 2024, and January 5, 2025, respectively. Elections must be conducted before these terms conclude. Additionally, the ECI is gearing up for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir to form a new house after the delimitation of constituencies.

The recent Lok Sabha elections saw significant participation from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar to express hope and inspiration from this engagement. The ECI is committed to facilitating peaceful and inclusive elections in the region.

The last Special Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls was conducted with January 1, 2024, as the qualifying date. Following the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, which allows four qualifying dates per year, the ECI has decided on a second Special Summary Revision with July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date for Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Key pre-revision activities include house-to-house surveys by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to collect information on un-enrolled eligible citizens, multiple entries, dead electors, permanently shifted electors, and necessary corrections in the electoral roll. Rationalization of polling stations aims to make voting more accessible, especially in urban and semi-urban areas with group housing societies and high-rise buildings.

The schedule for the SSR includes:

Pre-revision activities: June 25, 2024, to July 24, 2024
Publication of integrated draft electoral roll: July 25, 2024
Period for filing claims and objections: July 25, 2024, to August 9, 2024
Special campaign dates: Saturdays and Sundays within the claims and objections period
Disposal of claims and objections: by August 19, 2024
Final publication of electoral roll: August 20, 2024

The ECI emphasizes the importance of maintaining an inclusive and error-free electoral roll and calls on all eligible citizens to ensure their registration.