Yetindra Maralkar, the Chief Electoral Officer for Ladakh, convened a UT-level meeting with political party representatives at the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, on December 21. The meeting focused on the ongoing Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in UT Ladakh.

Maralkar urged political parties to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to aid the electoral machinery in ensuring a comprehensive and robust electoral roll for the forthcoming elections.

A significant change was announced, with the introduction of four qualifying dates—1st January, 1st April, 1st July, and 1st October—replacing the previous single qualifying date of 1st January. This alteration allows individuals aged 17 and above to apply in advance for inclusion in the voter’s list, rather than waiting until they turn 18 specifically on the 1st January of a year.

In providing an update on the ongoing Special Summary Revision, CEO Ladakh disclosed the receipt of 9101 Form-6 applications for addition, 3129 Form-7 applications for deletion, and 8597 Form-8 applications for correction/updating. Moreover, he highlighted the printing and distribution of 23,000 EPICs in Leh District, with approximately 20,000 EPICs for Kargil district in the printing process, soon to be distributed by respective BLOs.

CEO Ladakh emphasised the importance of consistent communication from political parties regarding election-related matters and urged cooperation to ensure the preparation of a comprehensive and healthy electoral roll.

Representatives from BJP, INC, AAP, and JKNC attended the meeting. Additionally, the District Election Officers of Leh and Kargil, Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) 1-Ladakh PC, Deputy DEOs of Leh and Kargil, and AEROs (Tehsildars) were present, highlighting the collaborative effort in this electoral process.