UP civic elections: Anomalies in voters’ list, corporate lawyer seeks redressal

The lawyer’s representation mentions, among others, the names of some politicians, bureaucrats and eminent personalities whose names were missing from the voters’ list despite the fact that they voted in last state assembly elections.

lucknow Updated: Nov 28, 2017 10:50 IST

HT Correspondent
Hindustan Times, Lucknow

S Mohammed Haider not only highlighted the anomalies but also blamed the departments concerned of “barring a good majority of citizens from participating in the election process.”(HT Photo)

A city-based corporate lawyer has given a detailed representation to the state election commissioner (SEC), governor, chief secretary, district magistrate and others over the anomalies in the voters’ list for the second phase of civic elections held on Sunday.

In the five-page representation, S Mohammed Haider not only highlighted the anomalies but also blamed the departments concerned of “barring a good majority of citizens from participating in the election process,” which he said “is a sheer violation of their statutory and legal right.”

“Owing to the improprieties of the powers, a good majority of people have been deprived of their vested legal right to vote that is also a dent on the democratic process. I, being a lawyer, cannot shut my eyes and ears to the callous approach of the concerned departments,” he said.

Haider said he would seek court intervention if the department or government failed to take action against those responsible for this faux pas and order corrective measures.

The lawyer’s representation mentions, among others, the names of some politicians, bureaucrats and eminent personalities whose names were missing from the voters’ list despite the fact that they voted in last state assembly elections.

“This is no less than a mockery of democracy and the democratic process, which the state election commission was duty-bound to ensure,” the representation reads.

He also highlighted Section 39 (4) of Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1959 that states: The Electoral Registration Officer may, for the purpose of preparation of electoral roll for a ward, adopt, in accordance with the direction of the State Election Commission, the Assembly roll for the time being in force so far as it relates to the area of that ward.”

“But it seemed that no assistance was taken from the assembly rolls as there were many voters who voted in assembly polls-2017 but their names were missing from the voters’ list of municipal elections,” said Haider.

He also blamed the state election commission for the poor voter turnout saying, “the errors in the voters’ list perhaps acted as a demotivator, thus resulting into poor turnout.”