Now, eligible citizens to have four opportunities a year to register as voter: CEO Raju

CEO Raju emphasised that as per the previous rule, January 1 was taken as the qualifying date and citizens attaining the age of 18 years after that date had to wait for next year to be eligible to apply as a voter

Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO) Dr S Karuna Raju on Friday said that citizens attaining the age of 18 years after January 1 will now get four opportunities a year to register as a voter.

Now, eligible citizens to have four opportunities a year to register as voter: CEO Raju (PTI)

Raju emphasised that as per the previous rule, January 1 was taken as the qualifying date and citizens attaining the age of 18 years after that date had to wait for next year to be eligible to apply as a voter.

“Now, with amendment in the registration rule, citizens will get four opportunities in a year to register as a voter,” he said.

With the amendment in the Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and corresponding changes in the Registration of Electors Rule, 1960, the citizens can apply to register as a voter on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1, he said.

These dates will come into effect from the start of revision activities from November 9, 2022, Raju said.

Raju, along with additional CEO, Punjab, B Srinivasan, said that the process of collection of Aadhar number of registered electors on a voluntary basis has begun.

Form 6B has been introduced for the purpose of voluntary collection of Aadhar card numbers. Electors can submit the form through online/offline mode, Raju said, adding that pre-revision process will take place between August 4 to October 24, which will include rationalisation/re-arrangement of polling stations and removal of discrepancies in demographically similar entries (DSEs) and photo similar entries (PSEs) in EPICs.