Handbook for Electoral Registration Officers - Election Commission ...

CHAPTER IV - PREPARATION OF DRAFT ELECTORAL ROLLSProcedure during Intensive Revision1. In an intensive revision, the entire roll is prepared de novo without reference to theearlier existing rolls. The Enumerator/ BLOs are assigned specific areas (pollingstation wise) with a sketch map. In the first visit, the houses within the area are serialnumbered by the Enumerator/BLO if they do not already have assigned numbers –(assigned by the local body of that area). In the second visit, the Enumerator/BLOsvisit the houses and enumerate the eligible voters living within the houses. Separatepage of enumeration pad (Electoral Card) is used for one household.2. Over a group of Enumerator/BLOs, there are Supervisory Officers and over a groupof Supervisory Officers, in some cases, there may be an Inspector assigned to monitorand check the enumeration works.3. Safeguards against Registration of Under-aged Persons: As fairness of elections isdependent on the correctness of the electoral roll, adequate care should be taken toensure that the names of under-aged persons are not included. The responsibility forgetting the names of ineligible persons entered in the electoral roll can be placedsquarely on the head of the family, whose signature is taken on the record ofenumeration card during house-to-house enumeration. Section 31 of the RPA, 1950lays down that if any person makes in connection with (a) the preparation, revision orcorrection of an electoral roll, or (b) the inclusion or exclusion of any entry in or froman electoral roll, a statement or declaration in writing which is false and which heeither knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, he shall bepunishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fineor with both. If, during the preparation of manuscript of rolls, one comes across caseswhere ineligible persons have been entered in the manuscript on the basis ofinformation furnished by the head of family, suitable action should be initiated underthe above provision against those heads of families. The provisions of this sectionshould be brought to the notice of the head of the household by the Enumerator whilegetting his signature on Electoral Card.4. Enrolment of orphans: If an orphan is brought up from infancy in an orphanage andbecomes eligible for enrolment as an elector on attaining the age of 18 years and isnot in a position to give the names of either his father or mother, names of suchpersons, if eligible shall be entered in the electoral cards by the Enumerator/BLO andunder the column meant for father’s/mother’s/husband’s name the Enumerator/BLOshall mention the name of the orphanage. In case the orphan was not brought up inany orphanage but in a family, the enumerator shall write the name of that familyhead. In case of an orphan who has been legally adopted by a family, the name of thefather/mother adopting that orphan should be indicated. In cases which are notcovered by the above categories, the enumerator/BLO shall enter “not known”. In therelationship column of the electoral roll the word ‘others’ shall be indicated.19