Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar Visits Dharamshala to Discuss Voter Registration

Dharamshala, June 5: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar arrived in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, on Friday for a crucial meeting with election officials and Booth Level Officers (BLOs). During this meeting, he praised the BLOs for their role in maintaining and updating the voter list.

Kumar emphasized that the voter list is a cornerstone of democracy and highlighted the critical contribution of BLOs in ensuring its accuracy. He urged officials to focus on making electoral processes transparent and effective.

This visit comes as preparations for the potential assembly elections in November 2027 are gradually beginning in the state. Elections are set to take place for all 68 assembly seats, and the Election Commission is currently focusing on refining the voter list.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission announced that the third phase of the SIR counting process is ongoing in Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Manipur. According to the Commission, this process began on May 3, 2026.

The Commission clarified that eligible voters whose counting forms reach the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) by June 28, 2026, will have their names included in the draft voter list.

Additionally, those unable to submit their forms by June 28 can apply using Form-6 along with the prescribed declaration during the claims and objections period.

Under the SIR initiative, BLOs are visiting households to provide voters with counting forms. Voters can submit these forms either through BLOs or online. To ensure maximum coverage, BLOs are distributing, collecting, and verifying forms in each household.

According to the Election Commission, BLOs carry at least 30 blank Form-6s and declaration forms to facilitate immediate applications for new voters.

To enhance political party participation, the Commission has allowed recognized party booth level agents (BLAs) to collect up to 50 forms daily and hand them over to BLOs. The Commission has also urged national and state-level political parties to appoint more BLAs.

The Election Commission stated that the SIR was ordered on May 14 under Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1950, covering 16 states and 3 Union Territories.