TIRUPATI: Though November 6 is set as deadline for enrolment as voters for the graduates and the teachers' constituencies, there appears to be a marked disinterest in both categories of the prospective voters.

According to sources, there are about 50,000 teachers and 8.5 lakh graduates in the Chittoor, Nellore and Prakasam districts which constitute a seat in the proposed Legislative Council.

But initial reports points to a lacklustre enrolment position -- 250 in the case of teachers and 1,630 in case of the graduates so far.

The general apathy among voters to get themselves enrolled is presumably due to the conditionalities imposed and the procedural problems involved in the work especially vis-a-vis the graduates constituency.

For instance one condition says that the graduates must appear in person

and tender their applications for enrolment . Rather intriguingly this condition does not apply for enrolment into the teachers constituency.

Major deterrents

Other deterrents cited in the enrolment work are the procedural wrangles involved in securing the application form, getting it attested by a gazetted officer, enclosing a copy of the degree certificate or securing a duplicate copy in case it is either lost or not readily traceable/available, non-availability of the MROs, MPDOs and MEOs -- generally due to their own preoccupations -- to collect and process the enumeration forms.

But in sharp contrast, contenders belonging to key parties are already engrossed in the campaign.

They are busy in distributing enrolment forms to the voters and coaxing them to the enrolment officers in their own interest though the latter are, however, unenthusiastic.

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