Assistant Electoral Registration Officer
Also called: AERO · Topic: Elections and the Electoral System · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
An Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) is an official who helps the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) prepare and update the voters' list of a constituency. The electoral roll is the official list of people allowed to vote there. The post comes from Section 13C of the Representation of the People Act 1950, which allows the Election Commission of India to appoint one or more AEROs for each constituency. An AERO can do the ERO's work, but only under the ERO's control. One ERO cannot handle every form for lakhs of voters, so AEROs spread the work and make it easier for people to enrol or fix their entries.
Example
During a summary revision (the yearly update of the roll through forms), a voter can hand a filled form to the AERO at the AERO's office on any working day. This could be Form 6 to add a name, Form 7 to object to an entry or have it deleted, or Form 8 to correct an entry or shift address. The form does not have to wait for a special camp.
Don't confuse with
- Electoral Registration Officer (ERO): the ERO is the main officer responsible for the roll and decides claims and objections. The AERO only assists and works under the ERO's control.
- Assistant Returning Officer: this officer helps run the poll and the count under the RP Act 1951. The AERO only deals with the voters' list under the RP Act 1950.