‘Make voter registration process easy for all’

The world's largest democratic exercise enabling Indians to choose their leaders got underway. While most voted, shortcomings in the voters list intervened for some unfortunate residents.

Moved residence
C. Subramaniam, from Navi Mumbai says, “I was registered as a voter in Navi Mumbai till 1995. In 2005, I moved to Sanpada from there. I tried my best to register my name through various methods, but I failed on more than one occasion. The procedures are tedious and time consuming. It is indeed a disappointment that four votes of my family have gone waste.” 

Manjari V, staying at Bandra says, “My family moved to the city a few years ago. I was eager to vote, but the lack of proper documentation stalled my efforts. The procedure to get documents is time consuming and hence I couldn't register myself. The government must simply the procedures taking into account the problem of people like us.”  

Priyanka Bedi, a resident of Mahim says, “I work in Mumbai whereas my home town is Bhopal; I'm registered there and would have gone to vote as well as but I had an important meeting so couldn't. I want a new system wherein anybody who has an identification proof like pancard can go and vote because the registration procedure is too long and faulty.”

Gautam Kumar, from Malad says, “I'm a registered voter but since I'm not in the country so couldn't vote. We should have a system wherein one can send in a vote through mail as it is the practice in other countries.”

Defect in electoral rolls
Deepali Kampani, a local from Santacruz says, “After spending 30 minutes in the morning, I was told my name does not feature in the electoral list. I couldn't even ask a question to the staff deployed in the polling booth. I have moved my residence since the last election. But so has my entire family. I have changed my family's residential address with every single organisation concerned. I have registered myself and my family with the Election Commission. My mother's name features in the electoral list in our new residential area. But the rest are excluded.”

Heena Kauser, from Navi Mumbai says, “I got a rude shock when I went to vote at my polling station in Navi Mumbai. My name registered in the electoral rolls is Heena, but in all my official documents it is mentioned as Kauser, due to this defect I was not allowed to cast my vote. I was in queue with my in-laws and husband, who vouched for me. But the electoral officer was not ready to listen and didn't allow me to vote.”

Deletion from voter list
SKumar, a Dombivili resident says, “I’m taken aback as my name has not appeared in the voting list in three consecutive elections. For some reason, there is no mention of our society in the voter list. The names of many others in my buildings also do not appear in the list. On checking the records at the local coporator's office, I was shocked to find out that many people from our locality despite doing the formalities, months ago,
did not find their names in the electoral list."

Sandeep Chavda, residing at Malabar Hill says, “My mother has been voting since a long time and this year too my mother went to vote carrying the election card along with a passport as an identification proof. But today she was informed that her name has been deleted and she couldn't vote. No reason for the same was given. Isn't there any cross checking done by the members who maintain these records? There were many people from my constituency who faced similar problems.”

Others
Jennifer Balsara, a local from Parel says, “I tried to register myself as a voter, but the authorities kept asking me for more documents and kept pointing out defects in them. After a point I was tired, they must have proper guidance for people like us."

Gaurav Garg, a first timer from Goregoan says, “I went to vote at my polling booth in Goregoan. I had even decided to opt for the ‘no vote’ category. But when I asked for the 49-O form, the officials did not know have a clue about what I was talking about. I was made to run from pillar to post. But none of the officials at the booth had a clue about the option. So I couldn't cast my vote, which I wanted to cast for the first time."

Joseph A says, “I don't trust any of the candidates in my constituency and I want young, educated candidates to run the city. Therefore, I was going to opt for 49-0. The officials at the polling booth were not aware about the option so I couldn't cast my vote.”

Gunjan Hooda says, “After the 26/11 attacks, I came to know about the 49-0 option for the first time. So I decided that this time, I would opt for that as I don't think any of the candidates or parties are capable of freeing the country of terrorism as they are promising to do so. But I was surprised to find that the polling staff wasn't aware of the option.”