AP 'double votes' to impact upcoming Karnataka polls

Anantapur: Double voters from Andhra Pradesh, living in border areas, can cast their votes in the Karnataka polls on May 10.

Thousands of people from AP have enrollment in both AP and Karnataka. They are often the deciding factor in many assembly segments in the neighbouring state. Even as the ‘For Voter’ Aadhaar card linkage was on across the country to weed out the double voters, very few voters in the border areas in AP got their cards linked so far. The Centre meanwhile extended the linkage process for a few more months in view of the slow response from the people.

Many voters are happy about double-voting as some parties and candidates allegedly pay money for votes.

Sources said thousands of voters in border areas got enrolled in both states and cast their votes in elections of both states, including in general polls as also the polls to local bodies like gram panchayats. At least 15,000 people from Madakasira segment of Satya Sai district in AP vote in four assembly segments - Pavagada, Madhugiri, Sira and Hiriyur of Karnataka. For the people of Madakasira assembly segment, the only road access is from Pavagada assembly segment of Karnataka.

Agali mandal is located closer to Sira while Rolla mandal is adjacent to Madhugiri, Madakasira mandal is nearer to Pavagada and Amarapuram mandal closer to Hiriyur assembly segments. The Hindupur assembly segment is closely connected to Gowribudabur and Bagepalli of Karnataka.

A similar situation exists in Rayadurg and Kalyanadurgam assembly segments in Anantapur district. Mantralayam, Alur and Adoni areas are located closer to Karnataka districts - Bellary, Raichur and Vijayanagar.  Some parts of Kolar lie adjacent to Chittoor district.

The unacceptable practice of double enrollment of voters has been prevalent for many decades. The people of the border regions maintain close relationships with villagers of the other state, be it Karnataka or AP and the families keep visiting each other. This creates the right conditions for double voting.

Political leaders of both states are also closely connected and interact on a regular basis. This helps in the mobilization of voters for polls in the neighbouring state when elections come and poll schedules for states are different.

A voter from Madakasira told DC that she had voted in her native village in Karnataka as also locally after her marriage.

An analyst from Madakasira said at least 15,000 votes are enrolled thus in both states. The enrollment and preliminary verification are controlled by village-level leaders and staff. They do not take a serious note of such practices. Normally, the revenue staff give voter slips to local sub staff and there is no chance for weeding out double enrollment, official sources said.