COIMBATORE: BJP state president K Annamalai, who is contesting in Coimbatore, on Friday alleged names of around one lakh voters in the constituency have been removed from the voters list, and demanded re-polling in areas where the names were missing. The district election officer Kranthi Kumar Pati refuted the charge and said the final voters list was prepared based on door-to-door verification by officials in 2022.
Raising the doubt of political interference on this issue Annamalai said names of BJP’s voters have been intentionally removed from the voter’s list. The issue flared up after a group of people from Balan Nagar, Siva Nagar and Ashok Nagar East in Kavundampalayam were allegedly denied permission to vote. The people alleged though they showed voter IDs, they were told their names were missing in the list. Following this, they staged a protest along with BJP supporters. Later in the day Annamalai visited the booth.
“A question arises whether the pre-poll preparedness was done fairly because 830 names were missing in a single booth with 1,350 people in Kavundampalayam. Officials know that 70% of voters’ names have been deleted there,” Annamalai said.
Questioning how a fair election can be held after removing 60% of voters in a single booth, Annamalai alleged officials did not do not their homework. “Names of voters are usually removed from the list based on absence, relocation and death. But names of living people have been deleted largely. An average of 20 names have been deleted in each booth,” he said.
Annamalai added that complaints have been submitted to the district election returning officer and the district election observer listing the areas where the names of the voters have been deleted.
When contacted, district collector and election officer Kranthi Kumar Pati told TNIE the final voters list was prepared based on the door-to-door verification done by officials in 2022.
“Before the election, we did not receive any complaints from them and we cannot do anything during polling. Had the issue been highlighted before last date of nomination, voters can be added to list. Re-poll can be held only based on the available voters’ list,” Pati explained.