The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Election Commission of India (EC), Union ministry of law and affairs and chief election officer over a PIL.
The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Election Commission of India (EC), Union ministry of law and affairs and chief election officer over a PIL.
The PIL contended that the three entities failed to adopt steps to ensure enrollment into the electoral rolls of the south-west graduates’, north-east graduates and Bangalore graduates’ constituencies (‘notified constituencies’) of the Karnataka legislative council and electoral rolls of graduates’ constituencies of the Karnataka kegislative council.
The PIL was filed by Ashwin Mahesh, member of the ABIDe task force. The petitioner said the Election Commission of India (EC), the ministry of law and affairs and the chief election officer failed to adopt measures to encourage and enhance enrollment to electoral rolls. They actively pursued discriminatory and dis-incentivising mechanisms and this resulted in discouraging application for enrollment in the electoral rolls from certain groups while promoting enrolment of certain groups.
The PIL came up before a division bench headed by chief justice Vikramajit Sen.
Mahesh said there is an absolute lack of publicity regarding the enrolment process. Limited number of locations had been identified for filing applications for enrolment in the electoral rolls of the notified constituencies.
Approximately 22 lakh voters are eligible for enrolment in the rolls for notified constituencies for the upcoming elections.
Hence, at least one registration desk per municipal ward should be there to ensure registration.
The respondents should provide an online resource where the electoral rolls are constantly updated and status of applications for inclusion in the electoral rolls for the graduates’ constituency can be tracked. But no steps have been taken in this regard, the petitioner said.
Respondents can ensure registration by permitting registration in any registration office established for the purpose of enrolment.
Now, various offices are assigned with distinct jurisdictions. This means an individual can apply for enrolment only in one particular registration office or kiosk.
Bangalore has over 22.52 lakh graduates. But only 17,406 applications have been received in response to the notice. In the last election for the Bangalore graduates’ constituency, 60,000 people enrolled in the electoral rolls. Coupled with the number of applications so far received, the rolls contain 77,406 voters, against the total enfranchised population of more than 22 lakh voters.
The enrollment in the electoral rolls of the notified constituencies shows there is a disproportionate number of government employees who are graduates and are enrolled whereas there is a negligible number of a non-government employee who are graduates and are enrolled in the said rolls.
The disproportionate enrolment arises from discriminatory mechanisms deployed by the respondents in the enrollment process.
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