The Hindu : Karnataka News : Revision of electoral rolls in Tumkur incomplete

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 25, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka

Revision of electoral rolls in Tumkur incomplete

Staff Correspondent

‘Authorities refused inclusions as early as April 16’

TUMKUR: It is feared that the revision of electoral rolls would remain incomplete for the May 10 Assembly polls in Tumkur district. The revision was taken up in three phases, first on March 29 and 30, then on April 5 and 6, and later on April 11 and 12. It was done at the proposed polling stations.

On April 10, a day before the third phase, S.R. Umashankar, Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, had said, at a press meet, that beyond April 12, applications for inclusion of names would be received at the taluk offices till the last day of withdrawal of nominations, i.e. April 24, according to the calendar of polling for Tumkur district.

He said: “The election staff at the offices will verify the related documents and include the names in voters’ lists.” His statement was widely publicised. However, trouble began when the staff at the taluk offices stopped accepting applications for inclusion of names in the rolls. Even Form No.7 (which is to include the name following deletion on request in some other area) was also not accepted.

M.R. Pramila, election staff at the Tumkur taluk office, and her colleagues pleaded that they could only process names of those who wanted to file nominations to contest the polls.

Renukambha, Tahasildar, Election branch, Tumkur, and her deputy, Edwin, confirmed it. Mr. Edwin said although the rules issued by the Election Commission prescribed it, inclusion of names should be entertained till the last day of nominations i.e., April 23. He, however, agreed that the election staff had stopped the process as early as April 16.

This was clearly against the Deputy Commissioner’s press statement. Mr. Umashankar told The Hindu, when he was contacted on Wednesday, that he would ensure that the staff accept all applications for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka