KOCHI: Amidst the controversy over the No 1 position of the state in many spheres, Kerala has achieved another milestone by becoming the first state to fully move to an online electoral roll system. Kerala achieved this by moving from state Net to ERONet through National Voters Service Portal. Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena inaugurated the functioning of ERONet, the software supporting ECI.Net for electoral roll management at the Ernakulam Guest House on Monday in the presence of state Chief Electoral officer E K Majhi and District Collector Mohammed Y Safirulla. Earlier, each state had its own software to add, delete or correct details in the electoral roll.
As all the states are now using the same software, the system will enable the election commission to check on accuracy of votes. The electoral rolls can be made error-free by deleting the duplicity and voters can search for his or her vote in the NVSP. The major plus of the new system is voters can upload personal details themselves. It will reduce the chances of mistakes in voter card details. Under this system, people can register for voter ID and get details of voter card changed online.
“What makes Kerala’s achievement distinct from other states is that here the applicants and the officials are entering the data directly into online,” said Sandeep. “There is no need of separate data entry here. In all the other states, a scanned hard copy of the application is kept at the offices and the entry is made by a separate operator,” said Sandeep. Kerala had started applications through the online system from 2012. “We had a directive to finish the procedures by August 14 and we achieved it,” said Majhi. This enables the voter to retain his electoral ID, even if he migrates to another state. The additions and deletions to electoral political parties also will be notified.