Election Commission Sets New Limits: Polling Stations to Serve No More Than 1500 Voters

Streamlining Polling Stations

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated a special brief revision of electoral rolls to streamline polling stations across the state. This decision comes in response to confusion experienced during the Lok Sabha elections due to overcrowded polling stations. The new guidelines aim to enhance efficiency and voter experience by limiting the number of voters per polling station to 1500.

Collaborative Efforts

A meeting was convened under the chairmanship of the Chief Electoral Officer, where representatives from recognized political parties discussed the implementation of these changes. The ECI, taking into account the suggestions from political parties, has issued specific instructions to the Collector and District Election Officer. These instructions focus on ensuring the smooth regularization of polling stations in accordance with the Central Election Commission's norms.

Key Recommendations

To maintain consistency and order, new polling stations must be established within the same building. If there are multiple polling stations in one building with an uneven number of voters, surplus voters should be relocated within the same premises. This ensures that voters are not assigned to stations in different buildings, maintaining geographical continuity and keeping families together.

Ensuring Voter Convenience

The primary objective of these changes is to prevent voter displacement and ensure that settlements or neighbourhoods are not divided. The ECI emphasizes maintaining geographical continuity and family units, ensuring that the electoral process remains organized and accessible for all voters. These steps are expected to lead to a more efficient and voter-friendly election experience in the future.