Election Commission Introduces 5-Day Correction Window for BLOs

The Election Commission (EC) has announced a five-day correction window for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to address errors made during the data entry process. This decision comes in the wake of the removal of the ‘edit’ option in the BLO app, which occurred four days prior. BLOs who have completed the distribution, collection, and digitisation of voter information are eager to correct mistakes or update details that voters provided post-submission.

Importance of the Correction Window

One BLO from Behala highlighted a specific case, stating, “I uploaded a form mentioning one voter who has permanently shifted to another residence. After submission, the voter contacted me claiming this is his permanent address. I need to make that rectification once the window opens.” Many BLOs have emphasized the necessity of the edit feature to rectify common errors, such as numerical and spelling discrepancies.

A BLO from Parnasree noted, “A recurring error involves the Bengali digit ‘4′ mistakenly appearing as ‘8′, often caused by rapid data entry under tight deadlines. These need to be rectified.” The removal of the edit function has created significant concern among BLOs, who are aware that any mistakes made during this phase may only be corrected after the submission deadline.

Pradip Choudhary, a BLO in Bhowanipore, expressed the challenges posed by the absence of the edit option, saying, “Data entry in a short span of time always remains a challenge for us, and the absence of the edit option adds more to our woes.” Following these concerns, a representation demanding the reinstatement of the edit facility was submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office last Saturday.

Expected Features of the Correction Process

According to EC guidelines, once the correction window opens, BLOs will have the ability to edit entries in forms submitted both online and offline. Using the BLO app, officers can search for a voter’s record with the EPIC number or household details, view uploaded images of the forms, and modify critical fields including name, date of birth, mobile number, Aadhaar linkage, and relationships. After making the necessary edits, BLOs must validate the entry and submit the updates.

Voters will not be able to make changes themselves, emphasizing the importance of communication with their BLOs for any corrections. Officials advise voters to keep a copy of their submitted forms and to note the confirmation number after any corrections are made.

Several BLOs anticipate that the correction window will commence this weekend. Meanwhile, some are preparing to assist voters whose names are missing from the electoral rolls by taking them directly to the EC or district headquarters. A BLO from New Alipore stated, “There is a group of 30 voters in my area whose names are not on the electoral roll. I need to take them to the Alipore district office for more clarity.” This proactive approach highlights the ongoing efforts of BLOs to ensure voter representation and accuracy within the electoral system.