The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Rural post-offices to enrol voters

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Wednesday, Nov 26, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Rural post-offices to enrol voters

Special Correspondent

EPICs to be issued in a month
Final list on January 10

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission (EC) has given permission to the State election authorities to undertake voter registration at branch post-offices at villages all over the State, going by the thumping success of the experiment in Hyderabad.

As such, the 14,000 branch post-offices in the State will be activated soon to this stupendous task manned by the branch postmaster. Verification of the details in the application is expected to be easy under the experiment as branch postmaster will invariably be a local person.

Chief Electoral Officer I. V. Subba Rao told reporters here on Tuesday that the EC would pay Rs. 70 to the branch post-offices on each Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued. The registration at these post-offices would avoid the ordeal to villagers, of making trips to tahsildar offices for the purpose.

The branch post-offices will be the third facility offered to citizens in the rural areas to register themselves as voters, the other two channels being e-applying (through www.ceoandhra.nic.in) and the regular counters at tahsildar offices. In comparison, drop-boxes are provided in Hyderabad as an extra facility.

Mr. Subba Rao said after proper study of all aspects, the enrolment would be allowed even at all the 2,000 post-officers in the State, including those in cities like Vijayawada. Meanwhile, there was last-minute rush at all the enrolment facilities, including post-offices and drop-boxes in Hyderabad on Tuesday when the deadline for filing applications came to a close. Mr. Rao said all applications would be processed and EPICs issued in a month after due verification of details. The final list of electoral rolls with inclusions would be published on January 10. Those still left out could register their names using the same facilities.

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Andhra Pradesh