The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the last date for online verification of voter ID cards till November 18. However, for Delhi, October 31 is the last date as the state is to witness the assembly elections in the first quarter of next year.

“It has been observed that the progress of EVP is considerably slow and verification/authentication of a large number of electors is yet to be done. Large numbers of Forms are also being received for inclusion/deletion/correction, which is to be disposed of before draft publication,” read a statement issued by the ECI.

The ECI announced the Electors Verification Programme (EVP) to rectify mistakes or add missing names ahead of the special revision of electoral rolls. Errors in spelling or incorrect names can now be rectified online.

While Election Commission officials admit that the progress of EVP has been slow and that they are concerned over the non-participation of voters in the programme, voters blame it on the booth-level officers (BLOs).

Talking about the state of Karnataka, hardly 0.5% (2,48,029) of the State’s total electorate of 5,10,67,157 has participated in the Electors Verification Programme (EVP). This includes a meagre 7,530 voters from the total electorate of over 90 lakh in Bengaluru.

Voters can verify their details using ‘Voter Helpline’ mobile application, by logging in to National Voters’ Service Portal, by visiting Common Service Centres (CSCs) in their vicinity, or by submitting hard copies of filled-in forms to the Electoral Registration Officer through their booth-level officers.

Meanwhile, in another development District election officer Jagroop Singh Yadav has suspended eight booth level officers, six from Civil Lines assembly constituency and two from Adarsh Nagar constituency, for being careless in the implementation of electoral verification programme.