Gaurav Gogoi flags risk of voter deletion during Assam electoral roll revision
The APCC president sought ECI intervention over alleged bulk submission of incomplete Form-7 applications, called for strict scrutiny, and enquiry
A file image of APCC Chief Gaurav Gogoi. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, Jan 22: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that the name of no elector is deleted without following due process of law during the ongoing Special Revision of electoral rolls in the State.
Gogoi also sought an enquiry into what he termed as "the acceptance of thousands of incomplete forms, lacking essential particulars" during filing of claims and objections.
Gogoi has sent a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Assam in this regard.
He stated that during the filing of claims and objections, electors and authorised Booth Level Agents (BLA) of recognised political parties are entitled to submit Form-6 (for inclusion of names), Form-7 (for objections/deletions), and Form-8 (for corrections), subject to proper per verification and undertakings wherever applicable.
"It has come to our notice that thousands of Form-7 applications have been submit ted to DEO/SDM/ERO/BLO under your jurisdiction. Most of these forms are pre-printed with typed details of electors and illegible details of objectors. This is a clear violation of ECI rules. Upon local level query with concerned officials and physical visits to these offices, it is observed that a large number of these forms have been submitted in bulk by unverified persons”, Gogoi stated.
“These applications suffer from serious deficiencies: absence of objector's identity proof, missing mobile numbers, no specific reasons or details for objection, and lack of required undertakings from BLAs wherever applicable... Our district level office-bearers have personally sought appointment with DEOs and apprised them of the disturbing situation on ground. However, no action has been taken yet," he stated.
He termed EROs as custodians of the concerned electoral roll.
"Based on recent media reports of directives from certain political entities urging submission of a fixed number of forms per booth, we apprehend that there may be a deliberate attempt to overburden the electoral machinery with unverified Form-7 applications, potentially aimed at frustrating the objective of preparing a clean and accurate electoral roll and disproportionately targeting particular communities," the senior Congress leader stated.
He urged the CEO Assam to issue directions to DEOS and EROs for strict scrutiny of all submitted forms, including verification of BLA signatures against records and confirmation of identity and contact details of individual objectors.
"Ensure that no electors name is deleted without following due process of law, i.e. notice and opportunity of hearing to such electors," Gogoi added.
He also called for an "immediate enquiry into the acceptance of thousands of incomplete forms lacking essential particulars" and for immediate supply of compiled lists of all Form-6, 7, and 8 received from the electors on the website of the CEO and the DEOs in an easily accessible manner and also to the authorised representatives of recognised political parties as mandated by ECI guidelines.
"These measures are essential to prevent genuine voters from being disenfranchised and to preserve the integrity of the final electoral roll," Gogoi stated in his letter.