PUNE: Citizens who are keen to ensure that their family members vote at one booth can do so by registering themselves along with family members giving the voter ID. This would ensure that there is a family linking and ahead of the next elections, members can be assured that they would all be going to the same booth.

Election authorities in the state have urged voters to check their names online and confirm their names and addresses as well as verify their family members as voters till February 13_as part of the ongoing electors verification programme. So far, there has been a 70 per cent response to the drive, stated election authorities and have asked citizens to check their names and apply for correction or even enroll as new voters if required on the election website, stated the officials.

The drive, which started on November 11, 2019, will end on February 13. Depending on the response, it will be decided if there is an extension, stated the election officials.

The state government is preparing a voters’ list and electors can go for any corrections, omissions, errors or additions. “Every voter has the right to get their details updated. With the programme, the Election Commission is giving an opportunity to all voters to verify themselves, so that there are no omissions and errors like missing names, addition of new voters or excluding names of those deceased etc. With our slogan, ‘Electoral literacy will strengthen our democracy’, this is a special campaign to literate all voters. I appeal to all residents completing 18 years on January 1, 2020 to come forward and apply for voter’s ID,” added Dilip Shinde, additional chief electoral officer.

The state has a total of 8,97,56,928 electors. As on date, the commission has received 2,42,94,623 requests. 7,65,606 entries were incorrect. Any corrections etc have to be applied on Form 8 prescribed by the Commission and it has so far received 6,76,683 online forms. 88,923 forms have been received offline,” he said.

A revised draft list will be published on February 28 after which suggestions and objections will be invited for the period of one month. Thereafter, till March 27, two special drives/camps are being organized on March 7 and 8 and again on March 14 and 15, and all suggestions, objections received during this period will be decided by April 15. The final list will be out and published on May 5.

The Maharashtra government has appointed booth level officers all over the state, and they are working to ensure enrolments. “We are appealing to all political parties to appoint their agents at booth levels and help in enrolment as they know their constituencies and voters,” added Shinde.

