Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain has called on political parties to quickly appoint booth-level agents for all polling stations. This push comes ahead of a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls set to begin on June 15. During a state-level meeting at Nirvachan Bhawan, Sain voiced frustration regarding the low attendance of party representatives and the sluggish pace of appointments.
The state operates 2,288 polling stations, yet only 3,131 agents have been appointed so far. The BJP currently leads with 2,286 appointments, followed by the Congress with 422, the People's Party of Arunachal with 239, and the National People's Party with 100. Other smaller parties have contributed minimal numbers, leaving significant gaps in coverage.
This intensive revision is the first of its kind in nearly two decades. Officials cited rapid urbanization, population migration, duplicate entries, and the failure to remove deceased voters as primary reasons for the update. The project will include the training of officials, the distribution of enumeration forms, and the rationalization of polling stations.
Sain directed parties to ensure their district representatives attend all scheduled meetings with election officers. During the briefing, officials also clarified legal requirements regarding voter eligibility and warned that submitting false declarations remains a punishable offense under the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Violations could result in fines or imprisonment.
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