EC links electoral rolls with birth, death records for better accuracy and timely updates

In a major step toward improving the integrity of India’s voter database, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the integration of electoral rolls with the Registrar General of India’s (RGI) birth and death records. This will help automatically remove deceased individuals from the voter list and keep records up to date.

The move ensures electoral registration officers (EROs) receive timely updates on registered deaths. Booth-level officers (BLOs) will also verify these updates through ground visits, making the process more efficient and reducing the need for manual deletion requests.

In addition, the EC has redesigned the voter information slip to highlight crucial details like serial and part numbers, making it easier for voters to identify their polling booths and for officials to locate their names in the voter roll. This redesign aims to streamline the voting process and minimize confusion on polling day.

The Election Commission also announced that BLOs will now carry standard photo identity cards. As the first point of contact for voters, their official identification will help people engage with them more confidently during registration and verification activities.

These initiatives were outlined by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, during a recent meeting with Chief Electoral Officers. The updates reflect a larger vision to make India’s electoral process more transparent, user-friendly, and technologically adaptive.