Names of alive voters deleted, dead still existing in electoral roll
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Oct 1: A sense of disappointment and annoyance was visible on the face of 79-year old Ram Nath Kotwal as he could not cast his vote in the Assembly polls on Tuesday despite no fault on his part.
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The name of this elderly man was missing in the voter list and more ironic was the fact that his wife Bala Kotwal, who is no more in this world, was still an eligible voter to exercise her franchise as per the latest electoral roll, recently updated by the Election authorities for Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
Carrying the voter slip of his deceased wife, Kotwal sought to convince the Returning Officer at Polling Station number 290 in Janipur area of Jammu North Assembly constituency by explaining that apparent blunder on part of the Booth Level Officer (BLO) has led to deletion of his name instead of his deceased wife, but all in vain.
Even as the Election authorities claimed to have made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of polling, apparent laxity on part of the BLOs deprived a number of voters, including youngsters also to participate in the democratic process.
“In had personally handed over requisite documents of the eligible would be voters to BLO of our area, but their names were not included in the electoral roll with the result several youngsters could not cast their vote,” said Yashpal Sharma, former Corporator of Ward number 35 in Jammu City.
On the other hand, he added, names of several deceased and a number of those who have left Jammu since long and settled abroad, are still appearing in the electoral roll, which was updated twice this year; once before the Lok Sabha elections and thereafter for Assembly polls.
Substantiating this claim, Raj Kumar Kohli and Ashok Khajuria pointed towards the names of family members of a retired Session Judge, who have settled abroad since long but are still mentioned in the electoral roll as eligible voters for this Assembly elections.
People also complained that the BLOs did not deliver them voter slip despite their duty to ensure that each voter is provided with the same at his/her registered address.
Further, contrary to tall claims of facilitating elderly and physically challenged voters in exercising their franchise, people at several places complained that the concerned BLOs refused to extend them facility of home voting.
This was the reason that 95-year old Gouri Ram and his wife, 90-year old Krishna Kumari, resident of Jandrore in Ramnagar, could not cast their vote. Even as the family members repeatedly approached the concerned BLO prior to polling, the latter refused to extend them home voting facility.
“Refusing home voting facility, the BLO insisted that we should bring our grandparents to the Polling Station despite knowing that there was no approach road to reach there on a vehicle,” said grandson of Gouri Ram and Krishna Kumari.
Though each polling centre was provided with a wheelchair, several elderly persons and physically challenged people in remote areas could not cast their vote as there was no approach road to their Polling Station. At some places family members were seen carrying elderly members on their back to reach the Polling Station.
Blunder on part of Election authorities was further seen when name of two Independent candidates in Jammu West Assembly constituency were found missing in the list displayed out polling booth in the area.
This irked the aggrieved Independent candidate Rishi Kaul Kilam who lodged a strong protest over missing of his name in the list and alleged that it was an intentional mischief on part of the concerned authorities.
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