379 field officials undergo intensive training to ensure transparent electoral processes
KD NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, June 23: In a move aimed at strengthening grassroots-level electoral administration, the Election Commission of India (ECI) commenced a two-day capacity building programme for 379 Booth Level Officer (BLO) Supervisors at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi.
The initiative marks the 13th batch of training for BLO Supervisors and was formally inaugurated by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Gyanesh Kumar, who addressed the participating officials hailing from various states and union territories. The participants included 111 officials from Uttar Pradesh, 128 from Madhya Pradesh, 67 from Nagaland, 66 from Meghalaya, and 7 from Chandigarh.
Highlighting the importance of such programmes, CEC Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that these trainings are crucial for ensuring that the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections are carried out in strict adherence to the Representation of People Acts of 1950 and 1951, as well as the Registration of Electors Rules 1960 and the Conduct of Election Rules 1961. He underscored the importance of transparency, stating, “There can be nothing more transparent than law in any democracy, and elections in India are held as per law.”
CEC Kumar further elaborated that participants would be trained to understand the provisions related to the filing of first and second appeals concerning the final electoral rolls. He noted that this is done under the oversight of District Magistrates or District Collectors under Section 24(a) of the RP Act 1950, and Chief Electoral Officers under Section 24(b) respectively. He encouraged BLOs and Supervisors to raise awareness about these provisions during field verifications.
Significantly, it was also noted during the session that no appeals were filed from Meghalaya, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh following the Special Summary Revision (SSR) exercise conducted between January 6th and 10th, 2025—an indication of a smooth and dispute-free revision process in these regions.
The training module is designed to enhance BLO Supervisors’ practical knowledge in key areas such as voter registration, form handling, and on-ground implementation of electoral procedures. It also includes practical IT tool training and technical demonstrations on the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs), including hands-on experience with mock polls.
Over the last three months, more than 5,000 BLO and BLO Supervisors have been trained under similar initiatives by ECI in New Delhi, reflecting the Commission’s ongoing commitment to empowering election officials and maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
The programme concluded with a strong message of accountability and professionalism, reinforcing ECI’s role in upholding free and fair elections through capacity building and proactive engagement with its field-level functionaries.
