Now youth can apply to be voter before attaining age of 18: CEO J&K

‘New user-friendly forms, voluntary Aadhaar linking introduced’

Jammu: In a very significant decision, the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has allowed the youth who yet to attain the age of 18 years to be enrolled as voter during ongoing Special Summery Revision (SSR).
The step was initiated after Election Commission of India pursuance of the legal amendments in the Section 14(b) of the RP Act 1950 and consequent modifications in Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The amendments made provision for four qualifying dates i.e., 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and 1st October as eligibility for youngsters to register in electoral rolls, and not just January 1, will be eligible for enrolling as voters.
“In continuation to its earlier Notification dated 29th June, 2022, the Election Commission of India further notifies the schedule of Special Summary Revision with reference to 1st October, 2022 as the qualifying date, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. A notification in this regard was issued by the Election Commission of India on 8th August 2022,” said Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The commission has also has extended the period for filing of claims and objections from 30 days to 40 days i.e. 15th September to 25th October, 2022. A notification in this regards was issued by.
At present the pre-revision activities as well as post delimitation follow up work is going on in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, wherein the existing electoral roll of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir are being mapped into the newly delimited assembly constituencies as per the Delimitation Commission’s final order made applicable by the Union Law Ministry w.e.f. 20th May 2022.
As per new schedule draft roll to be published on 15th September, claims and objections to be filed between 15th September to 25th October, disposal of claims and objections by November 10 while final rolls to be published on 25th November, 2022.
Use Friendly new Forms
As per new amendments in the Law, the Commission also made the registration Forms more user friendly and simpler. The newly modified Forms have come into force with effect from 1st August, 2022.
Now, the Form 6 which was earlier being used for Registration of new electors and for shifting from one constituency to another constituency, shall be exclusively used for registration of New electors. Form 8 now can be used for multiple purposes, viz; correction of any particulars in the roll, shifting of residence (within or outside constituency), Replacement of EPIC, and Marking of Person with Disability.
EPIC-AADHAAR linking
The Commission further made provision for linking of AADHAAR numbers with Electoral Roll data.
A new Form-6B has also been introduced for collecting Aadhaar number of existing electors. However, no application for inclusion of name in electoral roll shall be denied and no entries in electoral roll shall be deleted for inability of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar Number. A Time bound drive is being started for collection of Aadhaar number of the existing electors by or before April 2023.
Furnishing of Aadhaar number is purely voluntary. Objective of the programme is to establish the identity of electors and authentication of entries in Electoral Roll.
Field Verifications and Super checking for Healthy Electoral Roll
For the purpose of improving the health of the electoral roll, the Election Commission has emphasized the need for field verification by the Booth Level Officers.
DEOs, Roll Observers and CEOs also check the work done by EROs before the final decision on claims and objections is taken.
Participative Process- Involving BLAs
To ensure more involvement of political parties, the Commission has allowed Booth Level Agents (BLAs) of recognized political parties to file applications in bulk, subject to the condition that a BLA shall not submit more than 10 Forms to BLO at one time/in one day.
Updated On 8/10/2022 10:18:51 AM