EC Tightens BLA Rules in Jharkhand: The Election Commission is now checking bulk applications more closely. This is happening during the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls in Jharkhand. The applications are sent by Booth Level Agents from recognised political parties.
As per the most recent setup, a BLA can file up to 10 applications in one day. The submission goes to the Booth Level Officer. This is allowed after the draft electoral roll is made public. Also, if a BLA submits over 30 applications in the full revision period, it triggers a check in person. The Electoral Registration Officer or the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer must do this personal cross verification.
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The Election Commission’s latest safeguards put additional scrutiny on applications submitted collectively by political party representatives.
According to Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar, authorised BLAs can submit electoral-roll applications collectively to BLOs, but the applications remain subject to verification and scrutiny by the ERO before any decision is taken.
State chief electoral officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar said, “Authorised BLAs could collectively submit electoral roll applications to booth level officers (BLOs), but all such applications would be subject to verification and scrutiny by the the electoral registration officer (ERO) before a decision is taken.”
The key changes are:
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The 30-application threshold applies across the entire revision exercise, rather than simply being a daily limit.
Once a BLA crosses that threshold, the ERO or AERO concerned is required to personally cross-verify the applications.
A Booth Level Agent (BLA) is a representative appointed by a recognised political party for electoral-roll-related work at the polling-station level.
BLAs can assist in identifying errors, omissions and other issues in electoral rolls. Their role is separate from that of a Booth Level Officer (BLO), who is an election official responsible for field-level verification and other electoral-roll duties.
Under Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, an Electoral Registration Officer can make corrections or deletions, but an inquiry has to be conducted. The concerned elector must also be given an opportunity to respond before an order is passed.
The Indian Express reported on September 2 that BLOs at at least four booths in Jharkhand’s Godda district said they had received multiple Form 7 applications seeking deletion of names. The report said some applications were considered improperly formatted and were rejected following instructions from the local administration.
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Once an objection is filed, the process involves several safeguards.
1) First, the application comes in via the election system.
2) Next, the ERO or AERO checks the application for the area involved.
3) Then, the person named in the objection gets a notice.
4) After that, the person is allowed to reply.
5) A hearing happens when it is needed.
6) BLOs may also do on the spot checks.
7) Finally, the ERO makes the call.
So, you should not treat an objection or a deletion request as the same thing as an actual removal from the voter list.
“A BLA submitting applications collectively would have to furnish a written declaration or undertaking certifying that the particulars had been personally verified and were accurate. The declaration must carry the BLA’s full name, political party, date, and signature,” Kumar added.
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