Aashish Solanki

After a long time I’am writing a post. And not the best one to write about!

As a responsible citizen I walk upto the vote booth NMKRV college, Jayanagar, Bangalore South Constituency. To my utter dismay I find name there but says “Deleted” in front of it!!

‘ How come? ‘ – I ask the officers in the room. They say either you were not there when they came for verification, or you changed your residence or you are dead. These are the likely cases. On further inquiry I found out all my family members names are  intact. Weirdly I’m the one DELETED.

1. I have voted last time around. So there cannot be any confusion

2. If 4 of my family members are there and verified why was I not there?

3. I did get my “small” piece of paper before the elections with my name and constituency and where I should vote details.

There leaves no scope for confusion/change/editing at all. I have not shifted, moved, renamed myself or even died. I have been SIMPLY denied my right to VOTE.

Yes I’am being emotional here. Is’nt this my country? Can I not make a difference?

I then ask few officers whom do I talk to. They point me to the Returning Officers (Mr Hiremath) room. I walk in and tell the RO and his deputy (I guess) my problem. They are not surprised at the problem at all. The deputy (dont really know his name) then asks me to sit down calmly next to him on a bench. I was surprised by the hospitality. Only later I realize he has done this many a times through the day.

He calmly mentions that there has been a mistake from the printers/vendors who give out the list. He then adds that there have been many such cases and they can’t do anything much time around. I was completely shocked. Mistake? How many?? 10%? 20%?  God only knows!!

He then says I can vote in the August council elections by filling form 6 later on. WOW! They are doing me a favour ?? My name should have been there in the first place, I had already voted last time from the same place..

I then ask them for a written statement that there has been a mistake and they will rectify. They simply refuse to do this. The deputy then suggests I give him a written complaint which they will ack the same. In a way he was helpful and said he will try to do something about it.

But obviously no one willing to accept that something has gone wrong!!

I write the complaint, then go out to get two copies for the record. I submit the complaint to this deputy and then he asks his junior to sign the ‘photo copy’ of it. Nobody has read the complaint.

The poor junior comes and signs it blindly without even reading it.  I take the signed photo copy of it and walk out.I don’t really know if the ’submitted’ copy will go somewhere or even make a difference.

I recollect 2-3 such people having the similar problem but just walking away thinking its just another holiday.

Who cares right?

Find below the complaint I submitted. I really still want to vote!

This post is tagged citizen, denied vote, india elections