Voter rolls online soon, says new CEC

The Election Commission will on January 25 put online the rolls of the electors across the nation with the panel’s new chief H S Brahma on Friday vowing to stress on use of internet and digital technology for better poll management.

“To improve quality, transparency and speed, it will be my personal endeavour to use the latest technology – both internet and digital technology – to improve the quality of our election management, especially in voting,” said Brahma, who took over as the new Chief Election Commissioner on Friday.

The new CEC also announced that the Election Commission would launch nationwide Electronic Roll Management System (ERMS) on the occasion of the National Voters’ Day on January 25.

The ERMS will make the rolls of the electors of the entire country available on a single digital platform and the voters would be able to view their details online.

Brahma, a 1975 batch officer of Indian Administrative Service, took over as the CEC a day after his predecessor V S Sampath demitted office on completion of his term.

The Union Ministry of Law and Justice on Thursday issued a statement stating that Brahma was appointed Chief Election Commissioner by President Pranab Mukherjee.  
Brahma was the senior-most after Sampath in the three-member Election Commission.

“It will be my endeavour to ensure that we maintain the dignity and image of this organisation. I am very proud to say that the Election Commission of India has established the gold standards in election management of our great country.

It will be our endeavor to ensure that we improve upon it every day and
every year,” he told journalists shortly after taking office on Friday.

Brahma served as the Secretary in the Ministry of Power before being appointed an Election Commissioner on August 25, 2010.

“My first priority and mission objective is to ensure that we conduct the election to the Delhi Legislative Assembly in absolutely free and fair manner,” said the new CEC.

Polling for the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Region of Delhi is scheduled to take place on February 7 and the votes would be counted on February 10.

“Our long term goal at the Election Commission of India, which I visualise, is to deliver excellence. In other words, every aspect of our activity, we shall try to exhibit excellence in our work in every field,” he said.

Brahma was born on April 19, 1950, and he did his schooling from Don Bosco School in Guwahati. He graduated from St Edmund’s College in Shillong and completed his postgraduation in Political Science from Gauhati University.
DH News Service