Relevance: GS II (Polity: Elections & Rights) | Source: The Hindu 

1. The Human Story: Why it Matters

Imagine losing your right to vote simply because a computer software thinks “Roy” and “Ray” are two different people.

• The Crisis: In West Bengal, an automated software flagged nearly 1.4 crore people as “doubtful voters” during a revision drive.
• The Flaw: The Supreme Court noted that the software was “too rigid.” It did not understand common Indian realities—like spelling variations, missing middle names, or how “Kumar” is often dropped.
• The Result: Real, living citizens risked being deleted from the voter list due to minor “technical glitches.”

2. The Supreme Court Steps In

The Court ruled that Technology cannot replace Human Discretion.

• Stop the Deletions: It extended the deadline for people to fix these errors.
• Human Authority: It clarified that the final power to add or delete a voter lies with the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) (a human officer), not with a software algorithm or central observers.
• Safety First: It ordered the police to ensure no violence occurs at verification centers, protecting the applicants.

3. Key Concepts (Simplified)

• Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A special “deep cleaning” of the voter list in specific areas to remove fake/dead voters and add new ones.
• Algorithmic Bias: When a computer program is designed in a way that unfairly targets or excludes certain groups (e.g., people with non-standard name spellings).

UPSC Value Box

Q. Which of the following officers is statistically responsible for the preparation and revision of electoral rolls for a constituency?

1. District Election Officer (DEO)
2. Returning Officer (RO)
3. Electoral Registration Officer (ERO)
4. Presiding Officer

Correct Answer: (3)