GUWAHATI, July 30 (PTI): Assam Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nitin Khade on Saturday said that online registration of voters was being encouraged and a new set of forms by the Election Commission of India (ECI) will further help in the enrolment of eligible voters through the digital mode.
The new facility of advance application by people above 17 years of age for enrolment in the electoral roll will ensure that eligible voters are enlisted sooner, he maintained.
Addressing a press conference here, Khade said, “In the last summary revision of electoral rolls for the state, about 70-80 per cent of applications were online. We are looking to increase it further.”
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He said promotion through various means, including social media campaigns, and urging voters to register themselves online will be adopted.
“We are already campaigning for registration of all eligible voters and it will be intensified,” the CEO added.
The CEO said voluntary linking of Aadhaar number with voter card will commence across the country on August 1 and will be rolled out in Assam also on the same day.
Khade said the simplification of forms, including those for new voters and for correction or updation of entries in electoral roll, will further help in online registration.
He said, “The ECI has amended the Representation of the People Act for the new forms and providing other facilities for the voters.”
As per an important amendment, people above 17 years will now be able to apply in advance for enrolment in the voter’s list and not necessarily await the pre-requisite criterion of attaining age of 18 years on January one, Khade said.
“Henceforth, the electoral roll will be updated every quarter and eligible youngsters can be registered in the next quarter of the year in which he/she has attained the qualifying age of 18 years,” he added.
Advance application for registration will commence from November 9 this year with the publication of integrated draft electoral roll.
