The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) and BLO Supervisors to ensure that voters aged 85 and above do not need to physically attend sessions at hearing centers for claims and objections on the draft voters’ list. Additionally, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) are responsible for conducting awareness campaigns in their areas to inform people about this decision.
If any voter over 85 has received a hearing notice, BLOs or BLO Supervisors must contact them personally and advise against visiting the hearing center. Verification of documents for such voters will be done at their homes. Similarly, voters with critical medical conditions will have their attendance requirements decided on a case-by-case basis by the ERO or AERO.
The Election Commission has extended this relaxation to voters with critical illnesses, differently-abled voters, and those above 85 years old. However, the Commission clarified that the relaxation will not be extended to voters over 60. Despite clear instructions, there have been instances of exempted voters appearing at hearing centers, leading to political controversies.
To address these issues, the EROs and AEROs are now tasked with ensuring that voters aged 85 and above do not have to physically attend hearing centers.
