Going about the voter list

The EC clarifications mean that, as in the past, a four-tier personnel set-up will be employed in accomplishing the massive task. The officially designated persons to undertake the exercise ranging from house-to-house data collection through supervision and monitoring to double-checking and collation would be the enumerators, supervisors, assistant registration officers and finally registration officers. The enumerators are usually drawn from amongst teachers. They could be picked up from government and non-government sectors. It is important that they hold no political brief, are non-partisan and have been compulsorily trained up to be able to fit the bill.

We would also like to emphasise the role of political parties in making sure that every single voter is registered with the EC. If the parties cooperate and actively participate in keeping a constant vigil on the data collection process at the domiciliary level, there is no reason why any eligible voter will be left out of the list. We would also urge the local communities to take active interest in the process so that the whole electorate is put on the list.

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The existence of a voter is perhaps the most easily verifiable thing in a society. Therefore, any attempts at interpolation or exclusion should be automatically ruled out if all concerned demonstrate collective as well as mutually reinforcing will to have all eligible voters enjoy the right to franchise.