The Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Varinder Kumar Sharma today said that the district administration has started the process of replacing the old Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) of the eligible voters with new one.Chairing a meeting with all the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) here at the District Administrative Complex, the Deputy Commissioner said that there were 16,15,171 EPIC in the district adding that instead of 16 digit old EPIC the new smart card would have 10 digit alpha numeric code. He said that the voters could apply for the new EPIC directly through ERONET or through the concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO). Mr Sharma asked the officers to ensure that the work was expedited so as to benefit the voters.Dwelling on another issue, the Deputy Commissioner said that Publication of Integrated Draft Electoral Roll would start in December 16 and the claims and objections could be filed upto December 16 to January 15.
He said that the claims and objections would be disposed by January 27 and supplements would be prepared by February 4. Mr Sharma said that final publication of electoral roll would take place on February 7.Deputy Commissioner further asked the EROs to ensure huge success of the Electors Verification Program (EVP) in the district. He said that the Nodal officers of all the assembly segments must intensify the activities being carried out by them during the EVP, which was launched by on September 1. Mr Sharma said that the citizen must be encouraged to come forward to check to verify and authenticate the electoral roll details through National Voter Service Portal (NVSP), Voter helpline App, by visiting common service centres or by calling 1950.On the occasion Sub Divisional Magistrates Mr Amit Kumar, Mr Rahul Sindhu, Dr Sanjiv Sharma, Dr Jai Inder Singh and Mr Vineet Kumar, Joint Commissioner Municipal Corporation Ms Anupam Kaler, Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Naazar Singh, District Development and Panchayat Officer Mr Iqbalpreet Singh and others were also present.