BANGALORE: Noting that only 80 per cent of the voters in Bangalore have Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), whereas in other metro cities, as much as 95-97 per cent of the voters have EPIC, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike will hold a special summary revision of electoral rolls during a 15- day intensive campaign from Monday.
The Election Commission has instructed the city civic body to hold an electoral revision, for which, the BBMP has already conveyed a meeting with political party leaders.
BBMP Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda said that as per the census (2011), Bangalore’s population is 84,17,886 of which 65,42,118 are above 18 years and are eligible to vote.
However, only 52,19,725 voters have EPIC.
Gowda opined that due to migration many people did not have EPIC.
He said 5,828 booth-level officers including electoral registration officers, assistant electoral registration officers and other officials from BBMP and ECI were trained for this special revision drive.
This year, BBMP will also involve retired government officials for the special revision drive.
Door-to-door Campaign
Under the drive, booth-level officers will go on a door-todoor verification of EPICs from April 16.
The drive will aim at achieving inclusion of names of genuine voters, adding new voters, providing form-18 for graduate voters, corrections in the EPIC if any, removal of names of deceased and make changes in the card, if any.
“If respondents are not available, officers will paste a sticker on the doors.
This will contain the name of the booth-level officer along with his or her mobile number so that they can contact the officer and enquire them about the drive,” Shankarlinge Gowda said.
Online Campaign
Facilities are available in the chief electoral officer’s website (www.ceokarnataka.kar.
nic.in) for online registrations of voters.
“Techies and tech savvy people can utilise the online drive facility.
Voters can come and collect their EPIC or we will make provisions, so that their cards will be delivered at their door steps.
The system will be very productive,” Gowda said.