The Hindu : I-cards for 2.3 cr. voters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

I-cards for 2.3 cr. voters

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad Feb. 18. Photo identity cards will be issued afresh to nearly 2.3 crore voters in the State as part of a drive covering all the 23 districts from February 23. The first round will be for 40 days from that date.

This was announced at a press conference here on Tuesday by the Chief Electoral Officer, M. Narayana Rao, after a meeting with recognised political parties at the Secretariat on the subject. According to information given by him, there are 5.5 crore voters in the State with January 1, 2002 as the qualifying date. Against this strength, photo identity cards were already issued to 3.35 crore voters.

With the present exercise, the election authorities want to cover the remaining 2.15 crore voters with fresh cards and also 15 lakh replacements in place of the voters who were no more or had migrated. Mr. Narayana Rao said that as per the Election Commission's guidelines, the exercise would consist of two phases, the first covering the additions made under the revisions of electoral rolls, and the second one meant for corrections, modifications and avoidance of duplications.

A fee of Rs 25 would be collected per card for replacement of old ones. A highlight of the exercise, explained by the CEO, was that the cards would be issued online at the Designated Photography Locations (DPL) counters which would be set up at polling stations clubbing two to three such stations in villages and municipal wards.

Every Assembly constituency would have DPL teams consisting of Government officers and groups of people from the vendors' side.

Each of them would be provided with a computer, digital camera, printer, lamination machine, UPS and a standby generator.

Mr Rao said photo ID cards were a key activity bringing transparency in the election process and would be made a must for exercising the franchise after 2003 when the exercise would be complete.

The cards would be valid even after delimitation of Assembly constituencies.

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