Many find their names missing from voters' list; Delhi Cong chief's name too goes missing

New Delhi: During the MCD elections, many voters across the Capital returned back to homes from their polling booths on Sunday after their names went missing from the voters list. Large scale confusion and disappointment was experienced by voters in polling booths of Mandawali, Patparganj, West Vinod Nagar, civil lines and Subhash Mohalla.

Chandraprakash, a retired man in his late sixties in Patparganj was surprised at the fact the two members from his family were not allowed to vote as their names were not found in the list. According to him, the delimitation exercise must have complicated the general preparations, but a grave error like omission of names from voter list is a violation of basic fundamental rights. He also blamed the authorities for being dismissive in their approach towards such complications and said, "You never know in this country, there might be greater powers at play."

Reena Devi, sat on a footpath and waited for her grandson to get a confirmation from authorities if she could cast her vote in the Mandawali ward 199 polling booth. She said, "I have all the required documents, but I still don't know why they are not letting me vote. They told me that my name must be on some other polling booth's voter list. I had to return back from the other one too as they said my name is not appearing in any list, where should I go now?"

Voters in Lalita Park, ward number 22, also had to return back to their homes without casting their votes. One voter at the booth also said that he was not allowed to vote as the authorities at the polling

booth informed him that his Aadhar is not linked with his voter id card.

Anil Kumar Chaudhary, the Delhi Congress president, was among those who could not vote

after their name was missing from the list.

While a delegation of Delhi Congress leaders filed a complaint with the State Election Commission alleging foul play, authorities said the

electoral rolls are prepared by the Election Commission of India and the Delhi State Election Commission has no jurisdiction to make any additions or deletions.

"My name is neither on the voters' list nor on the deleted list. My wife has voted," Kumar said at a polling booth in east Delhi's Dallupura.

"We demand that a thorough probe be ordered against the Returning Officer and suitable action should be taken against the erring officers," the complaint said.

Delhi BJP Spokesperson Ajay Sehrawat also commented on Delhi Congress president's name being missing from the voters by stating that the leader should have taken charge and checked for his name in the electoral roll earlier instead of after reaching the polling booth.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday alleged that 668 voters were not allowed to cast their vote at a polling booth in Karol Bagh here in the MCD elections as their names were not on the electoral list.

The party's MLA from Karol Bagh, Vishesh Ravi, demanded re-election at the booth and strict action against the officials for the "mess".

North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari also alleged that names of hundreds of voters in Yamuna Vihar and other parts of his North East Delhi constituency were deleted at the behest of AAP government.

with inputs from satvika mahajan