New Delhi, May 19: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday lauded Jharkhand’s voter registration apparatus for achieving an unprecedented milestone – zero appeals filed against the revised electoral roll.
The commendation came during the inauguration of a two-day capacity-building programme at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), New Delhi, focused on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and electoral stakeholders from Jharkhand.
Addressing the participants, CEC Kumar remarked, “It is a commendable achievement that no appeal has been filed against the recently revised voter list in Jharkhand. This reflects not only procedural precision but also a growing trust in the democratic framework.”
According to an official statement from the Election Commission of India (ECI), a total of 402 participants — including District Election Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), BLOs and BLO Supervisors — are attending the training. Over the past three months, the Commission has trained more than 3,000 such election functionaries from across the country at IIIDEM.
In his address, CEC Gyanesh Kumar lauded the dedication and grassroots-level efforts of Jharkhand’s electoral officials, particularly in the area of voter enrolment. He also urged participants to enhance public awareness about the appellate provisions under Sections 24(a) and 24(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
These provisions allow electors to file first appeals with the District Magistrate, District Collector or Executive Magistrate, and second appeals with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the respective State or Union Territory.
Notably, no appeals were filed from Jharkhand following the Special Summary Revision (SSR) exercise held between January 6 and 10, reflecting the effectiveness of the preparatory work.
The training programme focuses on equipping participants with comprehensive knowledge of electoral laws, including the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, and updated instructions issued by the ECI.
