Authorities must ensure all eligible citizens are included in voter list
Goa-settled Admiral Arun Prakash, former Indian Navy chief, made headlines recently when he received a notice under the ongoing Intensive Special Revision (SIR). This led several prominent citizens to voice concerns over the notice issued to the Vir Chakra awardee and war veteran.
Electoral officers have since come up with an official explanation. They said the enumeration form did not contain “mandatory particulars” relating to the previous revision. Thus, the BLO application was “unable” to establish an automatic linkage between the submitted form and the existing electoral roll database.
A high-profile case of this nature highlights the risks and concerns about excluding voters from their basic right to vote. Not all persons might get the chance to have their cases highlighted, or to receive an official clarification, which could also mean prompt redressal. The positive aspect is that when a VIP or prominent citizen becomes a victim of the system, the focus shifts to the authorities, who are then expected not to repeat such errors. Some time ago, the South Goa MP was in the news for similar reasons. What happens to the children of a lesser god as the juggernaut of such an exercise moves speedily ahead?
Some youngsters who are not on the electoral roll face a struggle to get onto it. This is particularly true of those from migrant families, those whose parents have passed away, or those who have changed homes and live in rented spaces.
The legal position needs to be kept in mind: everyone who fits into the category has a right to be on the electoral rolls, despite their migration history, or whether they were too young to figure in the last revision exercise. What matters is ordinary residence, not ancestry or ethnicity. Citizens have complained that they had to appear for a hearing just because their names did not figure in the last revision (2002/2005), though they have voted in several elections in the past.
It must also be conceded that this can be a complex process. There is a jungle of forms: Form 6 for new voter registration; a birth certificate, school-leaving certificate, Std X or XII marksheet, or a passport to prove age; and documents to show proof of ordinary residence in Goa, such as Aadhaar with a Goa address, a ration card, a bank passbook, electricity or water bill, a rent agreement (even if informal but supported by an affidavit), or a certificate from the local panchayat or municipality. Around one lakh voters provisionally identified by the election authorities as ASDD (absent, shifted, dead and duplicate) are likely to be deleted from the electoral roll in Goa.
If documents are missing, an affidavit needs to be used. This would apply in cases where parents are deceased, documents are not updated, or one has a migrant background. The Booth Level Officer (BLO) has to get involved through residence visits, neighbours’ verification, confirmation of presence, and submission of a favourable report. In case an application is rejected or delayed, one can ask for reasons or approach the Chief District Election Officer (CDEO), and even submit a fresh Form 6. But how many would know of this entire process and have the patience to go through it?
As this exercise progresses, keeping track of how it is functioning is crucial. Citizen groups have asked for more time to submit documents. One group has called for a special helpdesk to assist citizens facing deletion of their names, to achieve the objective of the Election Commission of India – to ensure that all eligible Indians are included.
