CEC outlines new voter-friendly measures ahead of Bihar elections

Patna: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday said that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar had been completed on time and with precision, crediting over 90,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for their work.

Addressing the media after a two-day review of poll preparations in the state, the CEC announced a series of initiatives aimed at making the electoral process smoother and more accessible. He said voter ID cards will now be delivered within 15 days, while booth-level officers will also be issued their own cards.

To reduce overcrowding at polling stations, no booth will have more than 1,200 voters, a significant change from past practice. In another relaxation, party candidates will be allowed to set up stalls 100 meters from polling stations, compared to stricter restrictions earlier.

The CEC also announced that a separate room will be earmarked at polling centers where voters can deposit their mobile phones before casting their votes and collect them afterwards.

For the first time, honorarium has been introduced for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), while booth-level officers will receive higher remuneration. More than 90,000 BLOs did an exemplary job during the SIR drive in Bihar, cleaning up the voters’ list and setting a standard for other states, Kumar said.

He added that a one-stop digital platform has been launched to streamline election services. “When polling is over, digital index cards will be available within a few days of polling, which earlier took months,” he noted.

The Election Commission has rolled out 17 new initiatives, some already in effect in Bihar, with others to be implemented during the Assembly elections.