BENGALURU: Turning 18 and raring to exercise your franchise? You don’t need to wait for that magic day to register, but can apply well in advance. On an average, about 20 lakh voters become eligible to vote in Karnataka every year, but many don’t because they don’t register. The State has about 5.2 crore voters, and the number could go up by 20 lakh before elections in May 2023.
Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka Manoj Kumar Meena said they want to change all that, starting with encouraging teenagers to apply even before they turn 18. Meena has been holding meetings to instruct his team to ensure that everyone is registered.
Meena told TNIE, “A system has been put in place to ensure that all eligible persons register and no one suffers because they were not enrolled. The enrolment forms have been revised and made user-friendly.’’
The Election Commission also brought in many changes to ensure no one is left out, Meena said. It may be recalled that opposition parties have complained that names of those belonging to their support groups had been removed from the voter list, but this time one can check if their names are on the list, and ensure that if some inadvertent deletion has taken place, the names are restored.
Another common complaint, mainly from the metros, is that voters change their addresses and queue up to vote at the wrong voting booth. Meena said, “This problem can be corrected instantly. Just dial 1950 or download the voter helpline app or get in touch with the election authorities and make corrections online,’’ he explained. If not done in a fortnight, the applicants can contact the department officers.
The exercise of linking Aadhaar with voter identity cards will begin, and applicants can get help from the department. Meena said electoral rolls are dynamic and every year, names are added. “Those who wish to change particulars have to fill up Form 6, like deletion of name in case of death, or just Form 7. If there is a change in personal details like address, they must fill up Form 8. The forms have been simplified and people are encouraged to ensure they are fille online.
With just eight months left for the election notification, all three parties have started their sprint to the finish line, to get the highest number of seats. But the Election Commission has to ensure that the maximum number of voters cast their vote.