ECI crosses milestone of training over 2,300 field-level election functionaries at IIIDEM

New Delhi, May 7 (IANS) In a significant stride towards strengthening electoral management at the grassroots level, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has completed the training of over 2,300 field-level election functionaries at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi, in recent weeks.

Marking a pioneering initiative, the Commission has begun conducting training in regional languages -- a step aimed at greater inclusivity and comprehension.

As part of this initiative, a dedicated training programme for officials from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is currently underway in Tamil language.

A total of 293 participants -- including 264 Booth Level Officer (BLO) Supervisors, 14 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 2 District Election Officers (DEOs), and other election officials -- are attending this two-day training programme at IIIDEM.

Addressing the participants during the inaugural session, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar underlined the critical role played by BLOs as the primary interface between the Election Commission and voters. He emphasised that their responsibilities directly impact the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls -- the bedrock of any democratic process.

Over the coming years, the ECI plans to train more than one lakh BLOs across the country. At IIIDEM, the current programme is designed to be interactive and hands-on, featuring sessions on the correct handling and processing of Forms 6, 7, and 8, used for voter registration and corrections.

It also includes practical modules on using IT tools to streamline electoral roll management.

The participating BLO Supervisors are being prepared to serve as Assembly Level Master Trainers (ALMTs), who will in turn train BLOs in their respective constituencies -- creating a multiplier effect in skill dissemination.

An important component of the training is legal literacy: Participants are being oriented on the appellate provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1950. They are learning about the process for filing first appeals with the District Magistrate or an officer of equivalent rank under Section 24(a), and second appeals with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the State or Union Territory under Section 24(b).

Notably, the Commission highlighted that no appeals were filed from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry following the recent Special Summary Revision (SSR) exercise conducted between January 6 and 10, 2025 -- a positive indicator of the robustness of the revision process.

--IANS

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