Errors on voters' list can be corrected with document

Chennai: Nothing much can be done about the errors in voters’ rolls if there is no supporting document. Corrections to voters rolls can be done till the time of elections, said a district administration official on election work.

Responding to DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s allegation that the voters rolls is full of errors due to bogus entries and erratic deletion of names, an informed official explained that Form 7  is for raising objection to inclusion of names.

During elections, a list of absent, shifted and dead voters is prepared. All such people are marked on voters list sent to booths. If anyone’s name is found in this list, they cannot vote and have to prove with records, they are genuine voters, the source said.

“Those who seek corrections have the option of form 7 which can be filled with supporting documents. Any political party or NGO or an individual person has the option to correct the voters roll till the time of elections”, explained Naresh Gupta, a former Chief Electoral Officer. He pointed out that the party which needs correction should support the forms with a list of names that has to be deleted or included. Only then, the local official can verify and correct the list.

Once, when the nominations start it would be practically difficult for any officer to effect these changes, the official said.

According to a revenue official on election duty, political parties are just trying to get some mileage ahead of polls.

It may be noted that the DMK has been alleging that a few District Election Officers were being forced to accept inclusion and deletion of voters’ names with an intention to rig elections.