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

He said that, following Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines, polling stations with over 1,200 electors must be rationalised to enhance voter accessibility, with surveys to identify new locations in high-rise buildings, group housing societies, and slum clusters. 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.

Sudharshan Reddy emphasised that the ECI’s SSR guidelines highlight pre-revision activities as essential for ensuring accurate and credible electoral rolls. Rationalisation, per the ECI’s Manual on Polling Stations 2020, aims to distribute electors equitably, ensuring families remain together at polling stations. Surveys will prioritise community halls in high-rise buildings, RWA colonies, and areas near slum clusters to improve polling access.

He noted that the expected increase in polling stations necessitates additional BLOs to manage verification and assist electors with forms. Training programmes will equip EROs, AEROs, BLOs, and supervisors with knowledge of electoral laws and the latest IT applications for efficient data management. BLOs are tasked with house-to-house surveys to update electoral entries and facilitate form submissions.