Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Orders Reverification of All Voter List Entries Handled by Computer Operators

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa has ordered a complete reverification of every voter list entry made by computer operators since April 10, following widespread complaints about errors in the electoral rolls. The decision comes after the publication of post-Special Intensive Revision final electoral rolls sparked controversy over flawed voter data.

New Rules For Applications

Under new guidelines issued by the CEO, outsourced computer assistants will no longer handle the feeding of physical application forms. All future digital applications must be filed exclusively by Booth Level Officers using the official BLO App. Officials also warned that Electoral Registration Officers must review all pending Form-6, Form-7, and Form-8 applications every day and dispose of them quickly.

Opposition Complaints

The crackdown follows serious allegations raised by Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders on October 21. They claimed that details for 13,150 voters in the Pilibhit constituency were altered while EPIC and serial numbers stayed identical, between July and September. They also stated that 804 residents were removed and about 2,600 non-residents were added, resulting in 16,554 irregular entries, alongside separate reports of duplicate entries from other districts. Six election officials were earlier removed in the State after the Samajwadi Party flagged voter list errors. The CEO also expressed displeasure with the District Election Officers of Bulandshahr, Sitapur, Ghaziabad, and Aligarh for delaying reports on duplicate voter complaints found on social media.

Penalties And Supervision

All election officials have been strictly told not to share their ERONET login details with anyone. Officials face potential prosecution under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, for any breach of official duty related to electoral rolls, which carries a prison term of three months to two years and a fine. Divisional Commissioners, acting as Roll Observers, must closely supervise this work in their respective districts to prevent future lapses.

Context

Electoral rolls form the foundation of democratic elections, and accuracy in voter lists is vital to ensure that every eligible citizen can cast a ballot. Strict protocols like the Representation of the People Act exist to hold election staff accountable for administrative mistakes that could compromise voter rights.