New Delhi, April 30, 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a two-day capacity-building training programme aimed at bolstering field-level electoral preparedness ahead of the upcoming General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies. The training, held at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi, was inaugurated today by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Shri Gyanesh Kumar.
A total of 369 grassroots-level election officials including Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from Bihar, and EROs and BLO Supervisors from Haryana, NCT of Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh are participating in this intensive training programme. In his inaugural address, CEC Gyanesh Kumar emphasized the critical role played by BLOs and EROs in maintaining accurate electoral rolls.
He reiterated that their work must strictly adhere to the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and all relevant instructions issued by the ECI. He also highlighted that earlier this month, around 280 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from 10 recognised political parties in Bihar had undergone similar training at IIIDEM. The curriculum for the programme includes practical sessions on voter registration, form handling, and the application of electoral procedures in the field.
Participants are also receiving technical demonstrations on the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). Additionally, they are being educated on the appeal mechanisms under Section 24 of the RP Act, 1950 both at the district level and through the Chief Electoral Officers of respective States/UTs.
Notably, no appeals were filed from Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi following the Special Summary Revision (SSR) concluded in early January 2025. The training also features interactive modules including role plays simulating house-to-house surveys, hands-on exercises for filling electoral forms (Forms 6, 6A, 7, and 8), and orientation on digital tools like the Voter Helpline App (VHA) and the BLO App.
Sessions are led by seasoned National Level Master Trainers (NLMTs) and expert resource persons from ECI’s IT and EVM divisions. These sessions aim to address common errors encountered in the field and reinforce best practices for effective electoral administration.
