Focus on rationalising polling stations, filling vacant posts, Telangana CEO to officials

Says polling stations with over 1,200 electors must be rationalised to enhance voter accessibility

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C Sudharshan Reddy directed District Collectors and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to complete all pre-revision activities for the upcoming Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls, besides focusing on rationalizing polling stations, filling vacant posts, and training the officials.

During a video conference on Monday, the CEO said that following Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines, polling stations with over 1200 electors must be rationalized to enhance voter accessibility. Surveys should be conducted to identify new locations in high-rise buildings, group housing societies, and slum clusters.

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All vacant posts, including EROs, Assistant EROs, and Booth Level Officers (BLOs), must be filled immediately, with additional BLOs appointed for anticipated new polling stations. Comprehensive training on electoral laws, IT systems, and house-to-house verification is mandated for all officials, he instructed.

Sudharshan Reddy stressed that the expected increase in polling stations would require additional BLOs to manage verification and assist electors with forms. BLOs are tasked with house-to-house surveys to update electoral entries and facilitate form submissions, a press release said.