Sapna Kotwal
With the declaration of the second special summary revision of photo electoral rolls for 2024 by the Election Commission of India (ECI), one of the most vital exercises in democracy is about to start in Jammu and Kashmir. This is a key initiative from July 25 to August 9, 2024, issuing an open call for participation from each citizen of J&K to join the vibrant process of democracy. Every eligible citizen should take up the mantle of civic duty and ensure that his or her voice echoes within the hallowed precincts of our electoral system.
An electoral roll is not merely an administrative document, it represents the very lifeblood of democracy – a symbol representing collective resolve to participate in the governance of our nation. If you are 18 years by July 1, 2024, or have recently moved, or need to update your details, the stage shall have been set to get you on board. It is our responsibility that the electoral roll becomes a true representation of Jammu and Kashmir’s diverse and dynamic population.
This special summary revision is much more than a bureaucratic procedure, it is the cornerstone of our democratic edifice. It is a sacred trust by which we elect our leaders and, through them, set the course of our destiny. In participating, you will not be doing just filling forms but you will be asserting the right to be heard, counted, and contribute toward forging a better future for one and all.
To this purpose, the ECI has given multiple channels for participation. There is Form 6 ready to usher a person into the electoral fold for new voters, and in case the details require an amendment, Form 8 will usher you into an updated electoral status. Do not worry if you are not aware about the procedure, committed officials – Block Level Officer (BLO), Tehsildar, Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO), or Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) – are all there to help you out. There is a toll-free helpline, 1950, to help those who seek guidance from a distance.
It has already been announced that July 27-28 and August 3-4, 2024, will be days of collective action. Teams will fan out across the region to ensure no eligible voter goes uncaught on those days. They will wait at district headquarters, tehsil offices in Srinagar and Jammu, municipal corporations, and polling stations, only too happy to help you complete the process with all possible ease.
The ECI has also taken special provisions for those with special needs.
The Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (Migrant) at Delhi, Jammu, and Udhampur are at your service to redress the grievances relating to Kashmiri migrants. After all, democracy is a garden that blooms with the essence of participation by all its subjects. Every vote is a seed that fructifies into change.
Draft Photo Electoral Rolls 2024 would be available at various locations, from district headquarters to tehsil offices of Srinagar and Jammu, municipal corporations, to even the humble booth level offices at polling stations. For the digitally inclined, these would be available online at ceojk.nic.in, bringing the democratic process to your fingertips.
This is not an exercise. It is an invitation to armour against the invincibility of democracy. Whether you are a first-time voter or an accomplished contributor, your contribution is the lifeblood to which the democratic spirit clings. Let us stand united in this noble quest to fortify the electoral roll, making sure that every voice, every opinion, and every aspiration finds a rightful place in the grand narrative of Jammu and Kashmir.
(The author is JKAS and Secretary Advisory Board for the Development of Pahari-Speaking People. She is also the Nodal Officer Media, Chief Electoral Office, J&K, looking after all SVEEP activities of J&K)
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