VIP voters: Poll office issues guidelines to revise list

Chief Electoral Officer Anita Karwal said a separate list of voters under VIP list is being prepared as per guidelines from Election Commission of India,and the term “VIP” as such is a “misnomer”.

“(While we call is ‘VIP list’ for our convenience),there is nothing like VIP voters. We maintain a list in which we keep track of former MP and MLA,as (we believe) these are people who could become a candidate (contesting elections),” she said.

When it comes to revising list of such VIP voters – including deletion,making new entries,or transposition – the electoral registration officers take personal care to find out their details,she said.

“We take special care (in their case). This is an instruction of ECI that these people should be tracked,found,and their names maintained,” she added.

In Vadodara constituency,for example,there are in all 771 VIP voters,as per 2011 list,which is under the process of revision. The process of revising the list is on and will continue till August 31.

As per the list,Sankheda in Vadodara has the largest number of 199 VIPs,followed by Waghodia (79),Padra (61),Manjalpur (47),Sayajigunj (47),Jetpur (46),Dabhoi (45),Karjan (45),Raopura (45),Savli (41),Chhota Udepur (38),and Akota (37).