ECI to allow people in storm-hit Jalpaiguri to cast vote using voter's slip

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) said that it will ensure that voters of Jalpaiguri, Maynaguri and other storm-hit areas are not deprived of exercising their democratic rights even if their voter cards and other documents were damaged or lost because of the devastation on Sunday.

People would be allowed to vote with "voters' slip", an official said on Monday.

A ‘voter's slip’ is a document to identify a voter from information in the published electoral roll of the ECI. Such slips are distributed by political parties and can also be downloaded from the website of the poll panel.

At least four people died and over 300 were injured due to the storm.

"This is a disaster and an emergency. Houses of many people were damaged and they have lost almost everything. There could be several people whose voter identity cards were damaged or lost in this disaster. We will ensure they can vote. The voters will be allowed to cast their votes using voters' slips," an official of the poll panel said.

He, however, added that people will be allowed to cast their votes only if they have their names on the voters' list.

Polling will be held in Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri seats in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19.

"We have reports that 11 booths were damaged in Sunday's storm. We have enough time to restore everything before the polling date," he said.With agency inputs