Kathua DEO Launches SVEEP Van to Drive Awareness for Panchayat Electoral Roll Revision

KATHUA, MARCH 31, 2026 — In a proactive move to enhance democratic participation, District Election Officer (DEO) Kathua, Rajesh Sharma, today flagged off a dedicated SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) Van aimed at raising public awareness for the ongoing Annual Revision of Panchayat Electoral Rolls.

This initiative is part of a month-long campaign scheduled from March 27 to April 29, 2026, designed to ensure an inclusive and error-free voter list for the district’s rural local bodies. To facilitate easy registration and data verification, the DEO announced that special camps will be hosted across all Panchayats on four consecutive weekends, complemented by intensive door-to-door outreach conducted by field functionaries to assist citizens with additions, deletions, and corrections.

Highlighting the significance of the April 1, 2026, qualifying date, DEO Rajesh Sharma urged eligible citizens—particularly young first-time voters—to seize this opportunity to register. He clarified a common point of confusion by emphasizing that Panchayat Electoral Rolls are distinct from Assembly Rolls, making separate verification essential for exercising the right to vote in local elections.

Accompanied by Deputy District Election Officer Nagesh Singh and other senior officials, the DEO reiterated that a robust participatory democracy relies on accurate electoral data and called for collective public cooperation to achieve a 100% error-free roll before the April 29 deadline.