Thirty-six-year-old Hamza, who hails from a village in Belgaum district, is working in the Namma Metro project as an equipment operator for more than two years now. He is a registered voter at his village, but cannot go all the way there to cast vote with Sunday being the only holiday he will get.
Like Hamza, more than 10 lakh people, including migrant construction workers, factory and household helpers in the city cannot vote this time as they have no proof of residence in the city to enroll on the voters’ list here, according to a rough estimate.
Most of them live in temporary sheds or shelters.
Experts at the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC) said migrant labourers constitute approximately 40 per cent of Bangalore’s population. But the trade unions claim their number touches the 10 lakh mark.
“We don’t have voter ID cards. Even if I have to travel to my place to vote, it is impossible to get permission. The contractors don’t allow us to go because work will get delayed if we are away even for a day,” said Anil Kumar (29), another contract worker.
Kumar is a registered voter in Sitamarhi district of Bihar, but has missed the elections.
He said, “There are several workers like us who want a chance to vote. But I don’t even remember the last time when I went to a polling booth”, he rues.
When contacted, deputy chief electoral officer D Shyamaiah said migrant workers will be eligible to vote in the state only after they cancel their voter cards in their respective states. “Even homeless people can be listed on electoral rolls after verification,” he said.
“These people are politically marginalised and are losing their franchise rights,” said Dr Satyanarayana Sangita of the Centre for Political Institutions, Governance and Development, ISEC.
He said cancelling existing voter cards is a cumbersome process.
“Most of them are illiterate and lack awareness about the procedure. When they don’t get a chance to vote in their native states and the states to which they migrate for work, they are deprived of the most basic facilities. Politicians also are neglecting them completely and don’t acknowledge their contribution and role in the development of a city,” he said.
He added that the government must work in collaboration with civil society organisations and enrol marginalised workers, prisoners and others on the electoral rolls.