Mass deletion of names triggers public outrage

Hydreabad: Disappointment, anger and frustration continued to brew among those who could not vote on Friday as their names went missing from the revised list. The Election Commission has still not figured out what led to such large-scale deletion of names.

The disappointed voters demanded a justification, Friday’s apology of Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar was unacceptable, they said.

The names of Col. M.A. Prasad (retired) and his family, residents of Shaili Gardenia, Yapral, were deleted from the list. “My family of three voted in the last two elections and we are in possession of valid Voter ID cards. Our names did not figure in the list. It appears that some methodical and merciless chopping of the electoral rolls has taken place. 

The CEO keeps giving false assurances to the courts and public,” the former Army officer said.

“There was not a single advertisement in any newspaper educating the general public about verification of electoral rolls for their names and methodology for correction,” he said.

He said, “There is a deliberate attempt to delete voters’ names. Otherwise, how can the names of people who are in possession of Voter ID cards and have voted the last two times, be missing from the list? The courts should at least have permitted all those with valid Voter ID cards to vote after noting their particulars.”

There was a complaint that the courts got carried away by the “lies” of the Election Commission. There was a demand for the state brought under a neutral body comprising the Governor, High Court Chief Justice and Chief Electoral Officer three months before the elections.

Complaints on missing names in large numbers poured in from Goshamahal, Malkajgiri, Chandrangutta, Yakutpura and Jubilee Hills. Residents staged a protest at Malkajgiri. 

Ms Suguna Kumari who protested at Circle office 108 of the GHMC demanded a death certificate to claim her insurance as her name was missing from the voter list. She alleged that the GHMC had deliberately removed her name.

The names of caretaker minister Etala Rajendra’s father Mallaiah and sister Pulamma were missing from the list. 

“Names of voters who reapplied or enrolled anew were missing. The names of people which were on the list a few weeks ago were deleted. How is this election valid,” asked Mr Kiran Kumar Goli.

Many people complained of the poor arrangements. Ms Namrata Sadhvani said, “I was able to vote after running around for two hours from booth to booth, trying to find the correct polling booth. Authorities were of very little or no help, traffic policemen were unaware of the location of polling booths. It was extremely discouraging.”