ECI’s New ‘Mark VIP’ Tag On BLO App: Which Voters Get The SIR Asterisk And How?

News india ECI’s New ‘Mark VIP’ Tag On BLO App: Which Voters Get The SIR Asterisk And How?

Last Updated:September 25, 2026, 16:40 IST

The 'Mark VIP' module is reportedly designed to streamline administrative tracking and prevent accidental omissions of high-profile citizens during electoral roll clean-ups

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a new “Mark VIP" feature in the mobile application used by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conducting the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, as per reports. Rolled out quietly across 16 states and three Union Territories, the digital update allows field officers to tag high-profile voters with a designated asterisk during door-to-door physical verification visits.

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

How the Multi-Tier Tagging Workflow Functions

The “Mark VIP" module, according to the Hindustan Times, is designed to streamline administrative tracking and prevent accidental omissions of high-profile citizens during electoral roll clean-ups. Once a Booth Level Officer identifies an elector as a VIP during home visits, the recommendation is submitted digitally for a structured multi-tier review.

The tagged profile passes through sequential approval stages:

• Initial vetting by the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).
• Final confirmation by the respective Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office.
• Automatic consolidation into the draft electoral rolls, ensuring inclusion regardless of whether physical enumeration forms were filled.

Exemption From Physical Hearings, But No Immunity

Electoral officials clarified that being marked as a VIP elector does not grant immunity from statutory claims, objections, or verification proceedings. If discrepancies arise regarding documentation or address details, tagged electors remain subject to standard inquiry processes under electoral law.

However, the designation spares high-profile individuals—including constitutional dignitaries, parliamentarians, senior judges, and veteran civil servants—from having to physically visit hearing centres. Instead, designated administrative teams facilitate verification and document collection directly.

Administrative Context and Political Backdrop

While provisions to identify VIP electors have existed in the ECI manual since 2018, integrating a designated digital tag directly into the BLO app marks a significant operational shift. In Delhi alone, local electoral authorities estimate there are approximately 3,000 electors classified under the VIP category across various parliamentary constituencies.

The timing of the digital deployment has sparked intense interest among political observers and opposition parties, coming during wider debates over electoral roll accuracy and data management protocols during the nationwide revision exercise.

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