J M Behl
The Election Commission of India has issued the new Elector photo Identity cards to the voters for the Assembly elections after completing a big exercise and great efforts for the revision of the voter lists , for which the Commission and its machinery deserve all appreciations. Also, a really good job done for the quick delivery of these cards to the actual voters by the concerned staff by carrying out day and night visits from door to door in all the constituencies.
There are two points which appear under the note column, at the bottom , on the reverse side of these cards , which convey a lot, in negative terms, for the real / true recognition of this valuable card and definitely lowers the importance of its possession by the concerned voter. The first one reads about the uncertainty of one’s having been included in the current voters ‘ list and advises the card holder, to check names in the concerned list before every election . This type of “no guarantee“ after the great efforts done by the Commission, does not match with the theme as well as the sanctity of the office of the Election Commission Of India. Such type of cards prepared after carrying out , error free efforts / tremendous amount of labour by the dedicated and pains taking staff , and incurring huge expenditure by the Government , should remain valid in all respect till the voter himself wants to shift his constituency and not that before every election the validity of it or mere possession of this card, should become a doubtful case. Why a doubt should remain in the mind of the authorities , whether or not the names of such voters who are in the possession of this specially designed and electronically generated card , would be correctly printed / included in the revised / updated voters’ list of a particular constituency ? By now, the Election Commission Of India should have full faith , in the , all out efforts made by its working stalwarts , who have been burning their mid-night oil throughout this period for publication of final electoral rolls.
The second point under the note column speaks about , no surety about the proof of age / date of birth as mentioned in the card . It is true that the proof of age / date of birth, in our country, is based on the date as given in the school leaving certificate , for cases where an individual has not passed his Matriculation / Hr. Secondary examination and for others, the only valid document for the date of birth, is the Matriculation Certificate etc. but this does not mean that the date mentioned in the elector photo identity card, , should not be treated as proof of age / date of birth , as has been suggested under this note column. When the Commission has laid down clear cut instructions, to submit the documentary proof of age / date of birth along with the Form No. 6, by all new voters to be enrolled , it is taken for granted that the dealing hands who were deputed to prepare this card, have fully satisfied themselves about the genuineness of the date of birth of an individual before the printing of the cards started as such there should be no bindings / conditions about accepting of this card as a true document for the date of birth . It is surprising that except for this very card, there is no other card in our country which puts such restrictions / conditions about the acceptance of the date of birth , may it be a driving licence, an identity card (whether issued serving or retired personnel), a ration card, a Pan Card, an Aadhaar Card, A Bank Pass Book or for that matter a Passport.
In the light of above submissions, the Election Commission of India may like to reconsider for the existence of these two notes, printed on the reverse side of the elector photo identity card, which definitely does not bring the required respect in the eyes of its user.
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