Voter ID cards within 15 days, maximum 1,200 voters per booth: CEC on Bihar elections

Patna– Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday announced that the massive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar has been successfully completed within the stipulated time and with full accuracy.

Expressing gratitude to over 90,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for their dedication, he lauded their efforts in ensuring transparency and integrity in the electoral rolls. He added that similar SIR drives will soon be conducted across the country.

Addressing the media after a two-day review of election preparedness in Bihar, the CEC said that the Election Commission has introduced 17 new initiatives—some already implemented in the state, while others will be rolled out during the election process.

Highlighting the Election Commission’s efforts to make the election process smoother and more voter-friendly, Kumar said, “A detailed plan has been developed to simplify polling. Voter ID cards will be delivered to electors within 15 days, and booth-level officers will also receive their ID cards.”

To prevent overcrowding and ensure a smooth voting experience, he announced that no polling booth will have more than 1,200 voters—a significant departure from earlier norms.

In another major change, candidates will now be allowed to set up their help desks at a distance of 100 meters from polling stations, relaxing previous restrictions.

Kumar also shared that, for the first time, honorariums have been introduced for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and the remuneration for BLOs has been increased after a long gap.

“To facilitate voters, a separate room near polling booths will be designated for keeping mobile phones, which can be collected after voting,” he added.

The CEC also unveiled a new one-stop digital platform to streamline election operations. “After polling, digital index cards will now be available within a few days, instead of taking months as before,” he noted.

Commending the BLOs for their exemplary work during the SIR exercise, Kumar said, “Over 90,000 booth-level officers have done an outstanding job in Bihar. They not only engaged with voters and cleaned up electoral rolls but also set a strong example for BLOs across other states.”

With inputs from IANS