Taking note of the poor response to the helpline (toll free number 1950) established for helping people with election-related issues, Secretary to Government from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Salma K. Fahim, who has been designated as observer for electoral roll revision in Kalaburagi district, has directed the officers concerned to intensify Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activities to spread awareness and sensitise voters.
She was presiding over a meeting of senior district-level officers at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kalaburagi on Monday to review the progress of electoral roll revision in the district.
“A portal is put in place and voters can submit their forms for inclusion of their names in the electoral roll or for any correction or shifting. But, if we don’t publicise the availability of the facility with which people themselves can submit forms from the comfort of their homes, people will not use it. We need to come up with proper plans to take up publicity and creating awareness about the helpline as well as the portal. We need to display posters and banners apart from intensifying SVEEP activities,” she said.
Speaking on the progress of electoral roll revision in the district, Deputy Commissioner Yeshwanth Gurukar said that, after the publication of the draft electoral roll on November 9, the administration has received 38,512 applications for inclusion of names in the electoral roll.
“Of the people who applied for inclusion of their names in the electoral roll, 17,226 are young voters, in the 18-19 age group. We have given a special focus to including young women voters in the electoral roll. As many as 34,533 entries have been deleted and there are 7,477 applications for correction and shifting. The Block Level Officers are visiting houses in person and verifying documents before uploading the applications on the spot using Garuda software,” he told the meeting.
He added that the task of linking Aadhaar with voter id has achieved 63% success.
In his response, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Girish Badole said that he organised various activities, including a jatha and different cultural competitions, as part of SVEEP in the district.
Assistant Commissioners Mamatha Kumar and Kartik and tahsildars of different taluks were present.
Ms. Fahim later visited the warehouse on the premises of the district administrative complex where Electronic Voting Machines are kept and took stock of the arrangements put in place.
