Arunachal sets September 30 deadline for political parties to appoint election agents

Political parties in Arunachal Pradesh face a September 30 deadline to appoint booth-level agents at every polling station as the state prepares for a comprehensive revision of its electoral rolls.

Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain announced the mandatory requirement during a coordination meeting with party representatives on September 16, emphasising that these agents will play a critical role in ensuring accuracy during the special intensive revision process.

The booth-level agents must work alongside election officials to verify voter details and help citizens file applications for inclusion or raise objections. Each agent can submit up to 50 enumeration forms daily before the draft electoral roll is published.

"Political parties have a crucial responsibility in ensuring transparency and inclusivity throughout this process," Sain told party representatives at the meeting, which included Joint Chief Electoral Officer Liken Koyu and Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Shania Kayem Mize.

The state election office has made the final electoral roll from the last special revision, dated January 1, 2006, available on its website for public verification. District Election Officers are currently conducting preparation exercises with booth-level officers across all districts.

Party representatives raised questions about handling duplicate entries and voter enrollment procedures during the meeting. All participants agreed that the existing 11 identification documents approved by the Election Commission remain sufficient for voter registration.

The election office plans to establish base camps in remote areas where supervisory teams will help upload completed enumeration forms. A state-level training program for political parties and a public awareness campaign will be announced later.

The electoral roll revision operates under constitutional provisions, including Article 324, which grants supervisory powers to the Election Commission, and Article 326 on voter eligibility. The process also follows the Citizenship Act of 1955, which defines citizenship criteria for people born after January 26, 1950.

District representatives have been instructed to participate actively in meetings with election officers and ensure proper documentation throughout the revision process. (With inputs from PTI)