Mumbai, May 21: The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections culminated on Monday, May 20, with Maharashtra recording an approximate voter turnout of 54%. However, many voters complained about not being able to vote because their names were deleted from the Voters List of electoral rolls.
To understand why this happened, Lokmattimes.com spoke to IAS Kiran Kulkarni, Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra.
Onus on Voters to Ensure Names Are on Electoral Rolls: Kulkarni
Addressing the issue of deleted voter names, Kulkarni referenced the Representation of the People Act, emphasizing that it is the voter's responsibility to register with the Election Commission. "The act clearly states that it is the voter who has to register his/her name with the election commission. It's the duty of voters to check months ahead of the voting whether their names are on the electoral roll," he stated.
Kulkarni explained that out of 9 crore voters in Maharashtra, 2-4 lakh names were deleted following the purification of electoral rolls on March 16. Voters had over a month to re-register if they found their names missing.
Efforts to Raise Awareness
Discussing the Election Commission's efforts to raise awareness, Kulkarni said, "The last day to register was April 22. Before that, we repeatedly advertised and asked voters to check their names on the electoral rolls. Even a day before the deadline, we published advertisements in newspapers."
How Names Are Deleted from Electoral Rolls
Kulkarni detailed the process of deleting names from the voter list. "Each of the 98,000 voting booths in Maharashtra has a booth level officer responsible for checking voter addresses. Names are deleted if voters are found to be absentee, deceased, or have moved."
Regarding how voters can know if their names are deleted, Kulkarni noted, "The booth officer makes a list of recommended deletions, which is displayed publicly for seven days, allowing voters to contest the deletion."
In summary, Kulkarni emphasized that the responsibility lies with voters to ensure their names are on the electoral rolls and to re-register if necessary. The Election Commission has taken steps to raise awareness and facilitate the registration process, but voters must be proactive in maintaining their registration status.