EC to set right anamolies in voters' list

Speaking to reporters, he said the EC will appoint booth-level officers who, with the assistance of political parties, will prepare an error-free voters’ list. He was in the City to inaugurate a photo exhibition organised at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat to mark the  Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the EC.

“Anomalies in the list is the biggest problem. People in urban areas are not coming forth to register or delete their names. In the meantime, it is also necessary to make our machinery more effective,” he said.

Chawla said the ECI had set a target for itself to issue electoral photo identity cards to every citizen by December 2011. Of the 716 million voters in the country, the EC has issued photo identity cards to 582 million. This amounts to around 85 per cent coverage and the remaining 15 per cent will be covered by the next year end, he added.

On the completion of 60 years of EC’s functioning, he said: “We are really proud that the Commission, since its inception, has been conducting elections for the largest democratic country in the world.”

Election Commission over the years

Here is a rare opportunity for Bangaloreas to catch a glimpse of the history of the election process in India. The EC has organised an exhibition of rare pictures at Chitrakala Parishat till May 14 from 9 am to 5 pm. It was inaugurated by Navin Chawla, the Chief Election Commissioner, on Tuesday. The exhibition is being held as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the EC. Among the photos on display are one of late prime minister Indira Gandhi at a demonstration of the functioning of electronic voting machines; Rajiv Gandhi, accompanied by his wife Sonia Gandhi, filing his nomination papers; officials on poll duty carrying ballot boxes; and Sukumaran Sen, the first CEC examining nominations.