In a significant move to safeguard democratic rights, the Kerala state government has announced a comprehensive and urgent drive to ensure every eligible citizen is included in the electoral roll. The decision, taken at a high-level meeting led by the Chief Secretary, directs district administrations to work on a war footing to rectify omissions in the draft voters' list.
Key Measures for Public Convenience
The government has issued a series of citizen-friendly directives to streamline the enrollment process. District Collectors have been instructed to provide necessary documents free of charge to those lacking adequate records, with all applicable fees waived during this special drive. To assist the public, adequate help desks will be established at the local level, equipped with online form submission facilities.
These help desks will be supported by hearing centres to address grievances without causing public inconvenience. The state has mandated the deployment of volunteers and a sufficient number of hearing officers at these centres. Furthermore, the IT department has been told to reduce the fees charged by Akshaya centres for related services.
Administrative Mobilization and Stability
To ensure the drive's success, the government has focused on strengthening the administrative machinery. Appointments of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) must be completed within two days at polling stations where needed. Any vacancies for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant EROs, and Additional AEROs caused by retirement are to be filled immediately.
In a crucial step to maintain focus, no transfers of concerned officials will be permitted during this period, and leave will not be granted without prior approval. This ensures administrative stability and dedicated manpower for the task.
Tech Glitches and Awareness Campaigns
Acknowledging potential delays in the K-Smart portal for certificate issuance, the Local Self-Government Department will explore the option of issuing certificates directly through panchayats. A dedicated K-Smart help desk will also be set up at camps. Alongside these measures, the state will conduct extensive awareness programmes to reach out to all eligible persons left out of the draft list.
The government reiterated that ensuring voting rights for all is a core policy. It stated that while it has consistently demanded an inclusive Summary Revision (SIR) process from the Election Commission, favourable decisions were not forthcoming, prompting the launch of these village-level help desks. The administration has urged all those excluded from the list to utilize these new facilities.
