‘Shifted’ and ‘dead’ electors of three constituencies have another chance to make corrections: Karnataka HC

According to a press release from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer for Karnataka, the Election Commission has said the affected ‘shifted’ and ‘dead’ electors will be given another opportunity to file objections and make corrections.

Following the identification of 16,040 ‘shifted’ and ‘dead’ electors in Shivajinagar, Shantinagar, and Rajarajeshwarinagar Assembly constituencies through field verification and house-to-house survey, the Election Commission has said the affected electors will be given another opportunity to file objections and make corrections.

This is following existing rules and instructions/SOPs of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and directions of the Karnataka High Court, according to a press release from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for Karnataka.

“Another opportunity will be given to all such affected persons to ensure that no bona fide electors are deprived of their voting right in the impending election due to wrongful deletion of their names from the electoral rolls,” stated the release. 

“Abundant caution will be exercised, adequate opportunity will be provided, and all efforts will be made to notify the electors identified as ‘shifted’ and ‘dead’, before the process of deletion is undertaken as per law,” the release said.

The list of the 16,040 ‘shifted’ and ‘dead’ electors (identified through field verification and house-to-house survey) in these three constituencies has been shared with political parties. Following that the Bengaluru District Election Officer (DEO) and the BBMP Chief Commissioner have been directed to ensure due steps are taken before proceeding with the deletion of names of ‘shifted’  and ‘dead’ electors in the three constituencies.

“A common notice, appended with the polling station-wise list of proposed deletions, will once again be given by the jurisdictional Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to all such voters through newspapers, having circulation in the area concerned. Starting from the date of issue of the common notice, the Booth-Level Officer (BLO) concerned will be available for seven days during working hours to receive objections from the affected electors. Besides, the list of polling station-wise proposed deletion will also be put on the website of the CEO Karnataka,” stated the release.

After the expiry of seven days of the notice and after disposal of objections received from the electors, the final steps for removal of the names from electoral rolls will be taken by the ERO, the release added.