Bhubaneswar, May 29: A special intensive review of voter lists will commence in Odisha on Saturday. Under this initiative, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct a door-to-door verification campaign starting May 30 across the state. Their goal is to distribute census forms, assist residents in completing them, and collect the filled forms.
Chief Electoral Officer R.S. Gopalan addressed the media on Friday, stating that the verification process will be completed by June 28. During this period, BLOs will visit voters’ homes in the morning and provide each voter with a census form.
The form will include personal information about the voter, details of family members, and information related to the 2002 voter list. During these visits, BLOs will verify the information and correct any minor errors as necessary.
Gopalan instructed the BLOs to remain vigilant to ensure that no eligible Indian voter is left out and that no ineligible individuals are included in the voter list.
He mentioned that the draft voter list will be published on July 5. The period for filing claims and objections has been set from July 5 to August 4. Similarly, the resolution of claims and objections, along with the notice period, will continue from July 5 to September 2, while the final voter list will be published on September 6.
BLOs have also been directed to be present at their respective polling stations daily from 3 PM to 5 PM, allowing voters to submit their forms directly at the center. A total of 45,255 BLOs have been deployed across the state to ensure the smooth operation of the verification process, and they have received the necessary training for this task.
Additionally, Gopalan noted that 33,000 booth-level agents have been appointed so far and are currently undergoing training. Help desks have also been established to assist voters.
For voters who prefer digital methods, census forms can be downloaded directly from the Election Commission’s website, and completed forms can be uploaded online. Residents can contact their local BLOs through a special app designed for this purpose for any questions or information.
Gopalan clarified that most discrepancies in voter lists can be resolved by verifying a single piece of information. Typically, logical errors are minor, such as age differences or name variations. For serious errors, supporting evidence may be requested from the voter. However, the absence of supporting evidence does not automatically disqualify a voter.
He added that voters currently away from their homes can have family members collect the census form on their behalf and sign it.
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