5-day correction window to help worried BLOs tide over edit-button problems

Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) is set to offer a five-day 'correction window' to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) even as the ‘edit' option in the BLO app — removed four days ago — remains unavailable.The handful of BLOs who completed the distribution, collection, and digitisation process said they were waiting eagerly to correct some errors made during submission or add some information that were shared by voters only after form submission."I uploaded a form mentioning one voter in my part permanently shifted to another residence. His uncle, who lives at this address, told me that. But after submission, the voter contacted me claiming this is his permanent address. I need to make that rectification once the window opens," said a BLO from Behala.The BLOs said the edit option was also crucial for correcting common numerical and spelling mismatches, especially between Bengali and English entries. "A recurring error involves the Bengali digit ‘4' mistakenly appearing as ‘8', often caused by rapid data entry under tight deadlines. These need to be rectified," said another BLO from Parnasree.According to several BLOs, the removal of the edit feature had created panic, particularly because any error introduced could only be fixed after the submission phase ended. "Data entry in a short span of time always remains a challenge for us, and the absence of the edit option adds more to our woes," said Pradip Choudhary, a BLO in Bhowanipore. "We already conveyed the issue to the CEO's office."The BLOs said a representation demanding reinstatement of the edit facility was submitted to the CEO office on Saturday, and they were waiting for an updated app. Many check the app repeatedly each day, hoping for the return of the edit option. "Everyday, I am checking the app to find if the edit option has been restored, but it is not back yet," said Arup Mondal, a BLO in Tollygunge. "Uploading enumeration forms is a time-consuming task, for which we are burning the midnight oil. If any error happens in haste, BLOs like me will be held responsible. After imposing the task of data entry on us, the commission posed another challenge by removing the edit option," he added.According to EC guidelines, once the correction window opens, BLOs will be able to edit entries in forms submitted both online and offline. Using the BLO app, officers can search a voter's record using his/her EPIC number or household details, view the form's uploaded images, and modify fields such as name, date of birth, mobile number, Aadhaar linkage, EPIC number, relative names, relationships, and even the uploaded form image. After edits are made, the BLO must validate the entry and press ‘Submit'.Voters cannot make changes themselves and must contact their BLO for any correction. Officials advise electors to keep a copy of their submitted form and note the confirmation number once a correction is completed.Several BLOs said the promised five-day rectification window was likely to start from this weekend.Meanwhile, some BLOs are preparing to take groups of voters to EC or district headquarters in cases where names or records are missing in the electoral rolls — a problem that cannot be fixed through edits alone. "There is a group of 30 voters in my area whose name is not there in the electoral roll. I need to take them to the Alipore district office for more clarity," said a BLO from New Alipore.

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