Election Commission Trains Tamil Nadu, Puducherry BLOs in Tamil at IIIDEM Delhi

In a remarkable stride toward strengthening grassroots electoral processes, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated a novel training programme conducted in Tamil for field-level election functionaries from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. This two-day intensive training session is being held at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), Delhi. This marks an unprecedented move to empower Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Election Registration Officers (EROs), District Election Officers (DEOs), and other functionaries by equipping them with crucial electoral skills in their native language.

A Diverse Batch of 293 Officials

A total of 293 officials are participating in the current mixed-batch training, including:

• 264 BLO Supervisors

• 14 Election Registration Officers (EROs)

• 2 District Election Officers (DEOs)

• 13 other supporting officials

These participants are undergoing rigorous capacity-building to ensure accurate voter list management and better public interface.

CEC Highlights BLOs’ Pivotal Role

During the inauguration, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Gyanesh Kumar emphasized the critical role BLOs play as the “first interface of the Election Commission with the voters.” He noted that they are instrumental in ensuring that the electoral rolls are both accurate and current. Shri Kumar underlined that the training is an essential step toward the larger goal of preparing over 1 lakh BLOs across the country in the coming years, aiming to create a knowledgeable and responsive electoral workforce.

Intensive, Practical-Oriented Training

The training has been carefully designed to go beyond theoretical sessions:

• Interactive modules and role plays simulate real-world electoral challenges.

• Participants receive practical instruction on filling critical forms such as Form 6 (for new voter registration), Form 7 (for deletion), and Form 8 (for correction and transposition).

• Special focus is given to training BLO Supervisors to function as Assembly Level Master Trainers, who will subsequently train other BLOs in their respective constituencies.

Additionally, the use of Information Technology (IT) tools and applications in the electoral process is being demonstrated, enabling officials to adapt to the evolving digital landscape of election management.

Awareness of Legal Provisions for Appeals

The programme also includes familiarization with the legal avenues available for electoral grievances, particularly:

• First appeals under Section 24(a) of the Representation of People Act, 1950, which lie with the District Magistrate or equivalent authority.

• Second appeals under Section 24(b), which can be made to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the respective State or Union Territory.

Understanding these provisions empowers officials to address public concerns effectively and ensures legal compliance in roll revision and publication.

Zero Appeals from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

It is notable that no appeals were recorded from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry after the conclusion of the Special Summary Revision (SSR) exercise held between January 6–10, 2025. This reflects positively on the electoral processes and indicates high public satisfaction with the voter roll revision in these states.

Training Momentum at IIIDEM

With this batch, nearly 2,300 election officials have been trained at IIIDEM in recent weeks. The institution continues to serve as a hub for advanced training and best practice dissemination in electoral management.

The Election Commission's initiative sets a benchmark in multilingual training and decentralised capacity building, ensuring that the country's democratic foundation is reinforced at every level—starting from the booth.