25 lakh duplicate voters to be deleted from UP electoral roll

The software caught duplication by matching a voter’s name and his of her father’s name in the electoral rolls of different polling booths within an Assembly constituency. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have also done verification of duplicate names.

There are 403 Assembly constituencies in UP. Officials said that duplicate names range from 10,000 to 25,000 in different constituencies. Officials said voters often have their names at two to 10 different polling booths.

Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said,“Election officers in the districts have been asked to remove these duplicate names. Before deleting names,the Booth Level Officer will have to give notice to the person. The person will have to opt for only one booth to retain his name there.”

Officials aim to remove duplicity from the entire voters’ list of UP before the next Lok Sabha elections. It will help the Election Commission check misuse of duplicate names on polling day.

“Duplicity will be first removed from the electoral roll at the polling booth level followed by the Assembly constituencies. It will be further checked at the level of Parliamentary constituency,district level and finally at the state level,” Sinha said.

Sinha said that special summary revision of the electoral roll will be started in the state from October 1 and publication of final electoral roll will be on January 5. People attaining 18 years of age on January 1 can also apply for voter registration.

“Special camps will be organised in education institutions for registration of eligible youths. Certificates will be taken from heads of departments in the institutions that all eligible students in their departments have been registered as voter,” Sinha said.

The CEO launched a voter awareness campaign on Friday to motivate people to get registered as voters during the upcoming special summary revision starting on October 1. Volunteers of National Service Scheme (NSS),NGOs,resident welfare societies and youth organisations will be engaged in creating awareness about the voter registration process.

The CEO said that the online voter registration process will also start on October 1. Online voter registration was introduced in UP in 2010 on trial basis. “Now the online registration process will be opened for all,and anyone can apply for registration by filling the application form available online,” said an official.