Election Commission Introduces 'Mark VIP' Feature In BLO App Amid SIR: What Is It And How Does It Work?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a new feature called "Mark VIP" in the mobile application used by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in 16 states and three Union Territories (UTs).

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the digital update enables field officers to flag high-profile voters with a designated asterisk tag in the electoral database during door-to-door physical verification visits.

This comes amid heightened political scrutiny after several constitutional officeholders, senior ministers, and prominent public figures were served discrepancy notices during preliminary roll updates.

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BLO App Update: Multi-Tier Tagging Workflow Explained

The module is designed to streamline administrative tracking and prevent accidental omissions of high-profile citizens during electoral roll clean-ups. When a BLO identifies an elector as a VIP during a home visit, the recommendation undergoes a structured multi-tier review:

• Initial Vetting: Recommendations are first reviewed by the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) and the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).
• Final CEO Approval: The respective Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office grants final confirmation.
• Automatic Draft Consolidation: Confirmed voter profiles are automatically integrated into the draft electoral rolls, ensuring inclusion even if physical enumeration forms were not filled out.

Exemption, But No Immunity

Electoral officials clarified that being marked as a VIP does not grant immunity from statutory claims, objections, or legal verification proceedings under electoral law. If discrepancies arise regarding identity documents or residential details, tagged electors remain subject to standard inquiry procedures, the report added.

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However, the tag spares high-profile individuals, including constitutional dignitaries, parliamentarians, senior judges, and veteran civil servants, from physically attending hearing centres. Instead, specialised administrative teams conduct document collection and verification directly.

While provisions to identify VIP electors have existed in the ECI manual since 2018, integrating a dedicated digital tag directly in the BLO app represents a major shift. In Delhi alone, local electoral authorities estimate nearly 3,000 electors fall under the VIP category across various parliamentary constituencies.