A printing error nearly deprived a Bhiwandi resident of her right to vote.
Fatema Rangwala, a resident of Kumbharwada, had gone to Nizampura Upper Primary Urdu School along with her son to cast her vote. However, she could not find her name on the voters’ list. “It was very disappointing to not be able to vote despite having a voter ID and voting slip,” Ms. Rangwala said. She even checked the neighbouring polling booths to no avail. Ultimately, she returned home without voting while her son, father-in-law and mother-in-law cast their votes.
After she went home, her husband, Shabbir Rangwala, told her to accompany him to the booth as he was yet to vote, and check again if her name was there. Mr. Rangwala got into an argument with the officials, after which an officer checked her name online and realised that the wrong serial number was printed on her voting slip. “My number on the voting slip was 1232, but when they checked online, it was 1239,” Ms. Rangwala said. Her name was later found on the voters’ list and she cast her vote.
“It should be seen that this mistake is not repeated. Being a citizen of this country, it is my duty and right to vote. So many people may have gone back home on not finding their name in the list. All because of a printing error,” she said.