Nashik: Voter identity cards will be issued within 15 days after approval by the Electoral Registration Officer, informed State Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam on Sunday.
He was speaking at the
state-level National Voters’ Day programme arranged at the Planning Hall of the District Collectorate, Nashik, on the occasion of the 16th National Voters’ Day.
Divisional Commissioner Dr Pravin Gedam, District Collector and District Election Officer Ayush Prasad, Zilla Parishad CEO Omkar Pawar, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Sonar, Additional District Collector Devdatt Kekaan, Assistant Collector Arpita Thube, and other officials were present. On the occasion, Chockalingam administered the Voters’ Day pledge to the attendees.
Chockalingam clarified that the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer and the State Election Commission are two separate constitutional bodies. Following the establishment of the Election Commission of India, voter registration and the Representation of the People Act came into force.
He emphasised that democracy and development are closely interlinked, and achieving sustainable development goals requires a strong democratic system. Therefore, every citizen must participate in voting to strengthen democracy.
He further stated that the Election Commission of India has introduced several reforms over time to ensure free and fair elections. These include the Model Code of Conduct, photo electoral rolls, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), election observers, and a transparent counting process. EVMs are protected with a three-tier security system.
Continuous efforts are being made to ensure that ineligible voters are excluded from the electoral rolls. The process of identifying voters with duplicate photographs is underway, and collective cooperation is essential to maintain error-free voter lists.
Divisional Commissioner Dr Gedam said the election process is conducted with complete transparency, with officials from booth-level officers to returning officers working with discipline and dedication. He praised the election machinery for its commendable work and stressed that every citizen has an important role in preserving democracy.
District Collector Ayush Prasad delivered the introductory address. A voter awareness booklet was also released during the programme.
