The Hindu : Over 93 lakh bogus voters weeded out: CEO

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Over 93 lakh bogus voters weeded out: CEO

By M. Malleswara Rao

HYDERABAD, JAN.18. After verification, the number of bogus voters removed either from fresh applications or the existing electoral rolls in the State has gone even beyond wildest expectations, reaching 93,42,039.

With this reduction, the total electorate in the State has shrunk to 5,10,60,381 from the earlier 5,49,88,806, a fall of 7.14 per cent. Compared to the State's present estimated population of 7.7 crores, the voters' strength works out to a reasonable level of 66.23 per cent, a 13.77 per cent drop from the earlier 80 per cent. The finalisation of the final rolls ended an important phase of the process, preparing the ground for elections.

Of the names removed, 28,86,890 were from the 54,88,806 applications received under the summary revision of rolls for reasons of wrong information furnished by applicants themselves or political parties and second vote sought through this attempt, 1,97,409 fell in the category of rejections effected following objections by others, and a record 62,55,740 from the "residual voters" list who failed to turn up for being photographed even after several notices.

However, a total of 26,32,678 others secured the voting right out of the exercise undertaken by election officials through two visits by Election Commission officials amid trading of charges by political parties.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), M. Narayana Rao, who provided these details here today, called the verification exercise a success but said he could not claim with full confidence that all bogus voters had been eliminated or no genuine voters left out.

He did not share the view that a hurdle was surmounted with the weeding out of bogus voters, and opined that the process was just a step up over the ladder. If some people and parties were still aggrieved over the removal, they could approach the district Collectors, who were the appellate authorities, within 15 days from January 20 when the final electoral rolls would be published and copies supplied to recognised political parties, gram panchayats, and registered welfare associations. In the case of Hyderabad, it would be its commissioner who would handle this job. The lists would be displayed for a week at more than 38,000 polling stations locations for the public all over the State, each covering a few booths.

This is the first time that such a large number of deletions have been made. During the intensive revision undertaken in 2002, the additions worked out to 7.8 per cent and in the summary revision undertaken last year, the deletions amounted to only 0.16 per cent.

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