Centralised voter record in the works
2 min readPatna: A pool of trained manpower is being created in Bihar as part of the Election Commission of India’s plan to have a centralised database of all voters in the country.
As things stand now there is no such centralised database and it comes as a hurdle to weeding out duplicate voters. The commission organised a training programme in April in which poll officials from across the country were invited and given a three-day training in handling electoral rolls for meeting the desired goal.
Bihar had sent a team of 14 officials, who, after successful completion of the training module, were given a certificate of state-level master trainers.
These trained personnel recently conducted a training programme in Patna in which electoral registration officers (EROs) from all 243 assembly constituencies were present. The programme concluded on May 12.
“These trained personnel will now work as district level master trainers and conduct training programme to train officials concerned in the districts for management of electoral rolls,” said one of the 14 officials who received training in New Delhi.
The official said the aim of the exercise was to create a trained manpower across the country to help the commission manage centralised database of electors.
“A network of EROs, known as ERO net, will be created to meet the goal,” he said.
Explaining the purpose of the exercise, the official said at present there was no centralised database of electors in the country and it was proving to be a hurdle in weeding out duplicity.
It was allowing voters to have their names registered at more than one place.
“Once centralised database is created, duplicity can be addressed effectively, as every voter will have one unique registration number and the same would be used in case a voter prays for transferring his or her name from one place to another,” the official said.
Asked about the likely time for creating centralised database, the official said it was tough to say anything at this stage as some of the states, like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, had still not joined the ERO net.
“We are concerned about Bihar and we can assure the state will take all necessary steps to realise the aim of the exercise,” he said.
Courtesy: The Telegraph
