Port Blair, Sept. 22: As the Andaman & Nicobar Islands prepares for the crucial revision of its electoral rolls, Chief Electoral Officer has urged representatives of all recognized political parties to rise above partisan lines and extend full cooperation to the exercise. At a meeting convened here on Saturday, the CEO L. Kumar walked party representatives through the roadmap for the pre-revision process with a detailed presentation. Key points included the qualifying date of the last Special Intensive Revision in 2002, present voter data, polling station details, and the process of filing Enumeration Forms along with any of the 11 admissible documents.
To ease transparency, Kumar also demonstrated a live search facility on the CEO’s website, which now hosts the 2002 electoral roll with part-wise details and the option for voters to trace their Part Number and Serial Number. Highlighting the importance of grassroots involvement, the CEO called upon parties to ensure the appointment of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) for every polling station across the parliamentary constituency. These BLAs, he stressed, will play a critical role in assisting Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the revision.
Kumar’s real push was directed at the parties. He asked each to immediately appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) for every polling station in the Islands’ lone parliamentary constituency. These BLAs, he stressed, must work with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to verify and update records on the ground.
The underlying warning was clear: without proactive involvement from political stakeholders, the revision risks falling short — and the credibility of the democratic process itself could be at stake.
For a far-flung territory like the Andamans, where logistical challenges often leave citizens on the margins, an error-free electoral roll could decide how inclusive the next election really is.
