With less than two months until the Karnataka Assembly elections, a controversy over voter deletion has erupted in Bangalore Urban’s Shivaji Nagar constituency.
Notwithstanding the fact that the final electoral roll for the constituency was issued on January 15, an exercise to decide whether or not over 9,000 people in the area will be able to vote is presently underway.
The Incident
While updating electoral records is a normal practice, the procedure in Shivajinagar is being viewed as a breach of the Election Commission of India’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which specified that suo motu deletions cannot be performed in the six months leading up to the Assembly elections.
Notably, the residents believe that the deletion process is unjust because the majority of them continue to live at their residences and have not relocated.
The dispute apparently began in October 2022, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sympathisers made a private complaint alleging that 26,000 persons were false voters who had been recognised as either shifted out or dead in the area.
Following the publication of the final electoral roll, the BJP intervened and demanded the removal of 26,000 names from the electoral record on January 23. On 1 February, a writ petition was filed in the Karnataka High Court.
Karnataka Chief Election Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said that election authorities reviewed all 26,000 names and discovered that 9,159 voters had either moved or died.
Following this, notices were sent to hundreds of persons, requesting that they appear before the electoral officials. Those claimed to have moved or deceased will have their names removed from the electoral list if they do not appear before the Electoral Registration Office (ERO) on the specified date and time.
Who Are Not Eligible For Voting
This incident brings us to who the Election Commission considers ineligible of voting. Those who have been determined by the law to be unable to vote or prohibited from voting owing to corrupt activities or any illegal activities linked to elections are not eligible to vote. A person who is not an Indian citizen cannot be registered to vote.
Also Read: In Pics: What Factors One Should Take Into Account Before Voting For Any Political Party
The ECI has made voter identification at the elections essential. To vote, you must present your Voter ID Card issued by the ECI or any other proof permitted by the ECI.
Polls In Karnataka
The dates for the polls haven’t yet been announced, however, the poll will take place in May. Now that just a few months are left before voting begins, all the political parties are putting their best foot forward to appease the citizens.
While PM Modi held a roadshow in Karnataka, the Congress party in Karnataka will hold door-to-door campaigns.
However, yet the fate of thousands of people, who aren’t on the electoral list, might not be able to vote in the upcoming elections.
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: Economic Times, Quint, Times Now
Find the blogger: Palak Dogra
This post is tagged under: Karnataka, Bangalore, voting, voting rights, adult franchise, democracy, festival of democracy, polling, elections, election commission, electoral booths, residents
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