ECI launches training program for BLOs; CEC inaugurates the 13th batch
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Haryana Chief Electoral Officer A. Sreenivasan, said that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) play a vital role in successfully conducting the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. From preparing error-free voter lists to distributing voter slips to the electorate, BLOs shoulder important responsibilities.
He said that to empower and enhance the skills of BLOs, the 13th batch of training for Booth Level Officers (BLO) Supervisors began at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi today.
The CEC of India Gyanesh Kumar inaugurated the programme with an address to the 379 participants (111 from Uttar Pradesh; 128 from Madhya Pradesh; 67 from Nagaland, 66 from Meghalaya and 7 from Chandigarh). Over 5,000 BLO/BLO Supervisors have been trained in the last three months by ECI in New Delhi.
In his inaugural address, CEC said that these training programmes are essential to ensure that the preparation of electoral rolls and elections are conducted strictly in accordance with the Representation of People Act 1950, 1951, Registration of Electors Rules 1960, Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 and the instructions issued by the ECI from time to time. He added that there can be nothing more transparent than law in any democracy and the elections in India are held as per law.
The CEC also underlined that the participants, through the training, will familiarise themselves with the provisions of first and second appeals against the final electoral rolls as published with the DM/District Collector/Executive Magistrate under section 24(a) of RP Act 1950 and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the State/UT under section 24(b) respectively. He also encouraged the BLOs and BLO Supervisors to make the electors also aware of these provisions during their field level verification.
Notably, no appeals were filed from Meghalaya, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh after the completion of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) exercise as of 6th-10th of January 2025.
The training is designed to enhance participants' practical understanding especially in the areas of voter registration, Form handling, and field-level implementation of electoral procedures. Participants will also receive practical training on the IT tools. The officials will also be provided technical demonstrations and training of EVMs and VVPATs including mock polls.