Housing Society Must Help EC With Electoral Rolls

Ref: TOI  DT: 16/06/2010


Move To Benefit The Public

From This Year On, It Will Be Compulsory For Every Co-Operative Housing Society To Help The Election Commission In Preparing The Electoral Roll.

A Circular Issue By The State Co-Operation Department States That The Office-Bearers Of A Co-Operative Housing Society Will Have To Furnish Details Of Their Respective Society Members To The Concerned Electoral Registered Officer. The Directive Applies To Societies Within Municipal Corporation Limit. “The Move Will Benefit All Co-Operative Housing Societies,” Said Chief Election Officer(CEO) Debashish Chakrabarty.

“Making It Mandatory For Housing Societies To Furnish Details Of Their Respective Members Will Help In Issuing All Voters With The Electronic Photo Identity (EPIC),” He Added. “If A Person Dies, Changes His Residence Or A New Voter Has To Be Added To The List, All These Things Should Be Updated By The Committee Members Of The Respective Society. The System Will Help In Maintaining Healthy Electoral Rolls.”

There Are Around 7.5 Crore Registered Voters In The State. Of These, Nearly 45% Urban Voters, Following The Redrawing (Delimitation) Of The State’s 288 Assembly Constituencies, The Balance Of Power Has Shifted From Rural To Urban Areas. Of The Total Registered Voters, 82% Have EPIC. “With The Help From The Co-Operative Housing Societies, We Expect All Registered Voters To Have Their EPIC In The Coming Years,” Chakrabarty Said.

Meanwhile, Advocate Vinod Sampat Said The Government Should Ensure That The Lower Rank Officers Do Not Misuse The Powers As There Is A Provision Of Punishment For Committee Members Under Section 79-A Of The Maharashtra Co-Operative Society Act, 1960.