NT Reporter
Vasco
Lok Sabha MP from South Goa Viriato Fernandes Thursday said that he has received a notice from the Election Commission of India (ECI) asking him to appear before it with documents to prove his identity in order to retain his name in the
electoral rolls.
Fernandes said that the development appeared to validate the concerns raised by Opposition parties, non-governmental organisations and citizen groups that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the poll panel may result in the deletion of names of legitimate voters, thereby preventing them from participating in the democratic process.
The Chief Electoral Office (CEO) in Goa, however, later issued a clarification, saying the MP’s enumeration form was placed under the “unmapped” category and a hearing notice was automatically generated and issued to him as mandatory details were
not filled in.
In a social media post, Fernandes said, “Received notice from the ECI to appear with documents for proving my identity in order to retain name
in electoral roll.”
This notice is coming on the backdrop of ECI having subjected every contestant during last Lok Sabha polls in 2024, including me, with the highest level of scrutiny before clearing name for contesting the elections.”
“Incidentally, I have been voting since 1989 after becoming eligible, thanks to late PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji’s initiative of giving voting rights for 18 year olds,” he said.
Fernandes said he has travelled to Goa multiple times “from far off places of military posting” during his 26 years of service in the Indian Navy to cast his vote, be it for Lok Sabha, assembly or Zilla Panchayat election.
In the clarification issued later, the Goa CEO said, “During the course of the SIR, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) of Part No. 19 collected the enumeration form pertaining to the Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Captain Viriato Hipolito Mendonca Fernandes.”
It was observed that the enumeration form did not contain mandatory details of the last SIR, including the assembly constituency number, part number and serial number in the electoral roll. As these essential particulars were not filled in, the BLO application could not automatically link the form with the existing electoral roll record, it said.
Accordingly, in the present case, the enumeration form was placed under the “unmapped” category by the system, and a hearing notice was generated and issued automatically as per the prescribed procedure, the CEO said, adding that the matter was under inquiry.
Read more updates related to ECI notices and electoral processes in Goa on The Navhind Times.
