JAIPUR: A Group of NGOs and activists from across Rajasthan have unearthed massive bunglings and discrepancies in the electoral rolls prepared for the upcoming Rajasthan assembly elections.
At a press conference held by Magsaysay award winner Aruna Roy, independent MLA from Gujrat Assembly Jignesh Meawani and PUCL secretary of Rajasthan unit, Kavita Srivastava, and several others have alleged that after a study of three assembly constituencies in the state, they found that thousands of voters are missing from electoral rolls.
According to the last census in 2011, the average of such families across Rajasthan is less than 3 per cent. Activists say that this is extremely alarming and implies that thousands of voters who deserve to exercise their vote will now be deprived of their voting right due to the carelessness of the Election Commission.
One of the most shocking cases, according to activists, comes from high-profile Hawamahal constituency of Jaipur, a Muslim dominated area, which has 34 per cent of the voting families shown as single member families. There are only 14,356 houses in Hawa Mahal constituency with a single member but the voter list shows 4,81,586 houses with 34.2 per cent single voters. The 2011 census had listed only 2.11 per cent houses with a sole member.
A similar trend was observed in Tonk city and Gangapur constituency also of Sawai Madhopur district.
"If it is done by mistake then it is alarming because such a serious exercise is done so casually. If it is done deliberately then it is a mockery of the democratic exercise," said Aruna Roy.
Independent MLA ,Jignesh Mewani, attacked the Chief Minister for these bunglings revealed in the electoral roll.
"The Rajasthan CM is in her Palace and the voters are in air ,if 34% of the voters are missing from Hawa Mahal Constituency, it means that 20 lakh voters are missing across Rajasthan. They should be registered immediately. It is a shame for the sate government and election commission if they are deprived," he added.
The social activists met Chief Election Commisioner OP Rawat and two other members and demanded organising of ward sabha drives so that people could participate in them and ensure their restoration in the voting list if it is missing. Chief Election Commissioner has ordered the Rajsthan election commission that the missing people should be immediately restored to the voter list across Rajasthan.
He also told the civil society members that through district election officers the process of electoral verification will be initiated and at all booth levels, the block level officers will have to spend three days and nights to rectify the electoral rolls.
The list will be put up in public places prior to the verification. This will be announced through All India Radio and Doordarshan. Civil society members said that they will be there to monitor and facilitate the exercise.