Gangtok, November 3 (IPR):
In view of the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and to facilitate house-to-house field visits for mapping of electors from EROLL 2022, a one-day training programme for EROs, AEROs, BLO Supervisors and BLOs was held today at the auditorium of Sir Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary School, Gangtok. The programme was conducted by the District Election Officer-cum-District Collector, Gangtok, as per the direction of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Sikkim.
In his introductory remarks, Additional District Collector, Mr Tshering Norgyal Theengh, provided a brief overview of the objectives of the training, highlighting the importance of accurate and transparent voter registration. He encouraged all field officers to maintain diligence and integrity while conducting the revision exercise, emphasising that a clean and inclusive electoral roll forms the foundation of a strong democratic process.
In his presentation, Joint Secretary, Election Department, Mr Himmat Rai, provided a detailed overview of the Special Intensive Revision. He explained the concept of Electoral Rolls De-novo and underlined the importance of conducting the revision exercise.
He further elaborated on voter eligibility, referring to Article 326 of the Constitution of India. The presentation also covered the roles and responsibilities of key functionaries involved in the process and outlined its major procedural steps. Mr Rai discussed the process of claims, objections and appeals, highlighting the responsibilities of AEROs and BLO Supervisors. Additionally, he spoke about breaches of official duty, referring to Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Following this, Joint Director, IT, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Sikkim, Mr Zangpo Gyaltsen, presented a detailed session on Mapping of Electors of SIR 2002 and Their Progeny. He elaborated on the types of electors for mapping, which included four categories, namely:
1. Electors found in the SIR 2002 EROLL
2. Progeny of electors whose names existed in the SIR 2002 EROLL
3. Electors whose names existed in the SIR EROLL of other States
4. Progeny of electors whose names existed in the SIR EROLL of other States
He explained the mapping process for each of these categories and provided practical solutions to issues encountered during field operations. He concluded his presentation by elaborating on the roles of EROs, AEROs, Supervisors and Block Level Agents (BLAs).
The day’s training concluded with an interactive session, during which participants clarified their queries related to EROLL and the revision process.
The welcome address was delivered by SDM Rabdang, Mr Roshan Subba, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Under Secretary, Election Cell, DAC Gangtok, Ms Dhan Maya Rasaily.
The programme also witnessed the presence of EROs, AEROs, BLO Supervisors, BLOs and other stakeholders.
Report from DIO-GANGTOK