 "Compile de novo electoral rolls for Mumbai, Ram Naik demands from EC")
Senior BJP leader Ram Naik today demanded from Election Commission to compile de novo electoral rolls for Mumbai, Thane and Pune, to resolve the issues of "discrepancies" in existing rolls.
"To resolve the issues of discrepancies in electoral rolls and thereafter to conduct assembly polls smoothly, the Election Commission must compile de novo electoral rolls of Mumbai, Thane and Pune by enumeration from house to house," Naik, former Petroleum Minister, told reporters here.
"Mumbai residents voted on April 24. Later, while compiling data, I noticed that in 2009 there were 97,79,650 voters in the six Lok Sabha constituencies of Mumbai and 98,97,699 voters in 2014. This means there was an increase of only 1,18,049 voters in the last five years," he said.
"Data from election officers of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts revealed that total increase during these five years was of 18,93,686 voters and total deletions were of 16,23,612 voters. The difference between these two figures is of 2,70,074 voters ," he said.
Before deleting names of voters on such a massive scale, the election officials should have taken great care and it is seen that normal precautions like giving notices, if voters were not traceable, were not taken, he said. This callousness has destroyed the sanctity of the electoral rolls, he added.
"The only solution is to compile de novo electoral rolls by going house to house. Along with Mumbai it should be done for Thane and Pune as such lacunae were experienced there too," Naik said.
"To resolve the issues of discrepancies in electoral rolls and thereafter to conduct assembly polls smoothly, the Election Commission must compile de novo electoral rolls of Mumbai, Thane and Pune by enumeration from house to house," Naik, former Petroleum Minister, told reporters here.
"Mumbai residents voted on April 24. Later, while compiling data, I noticed that in 2009 there were 97,79,650 voters in the six Lok Sabha constituencies of Mumbai and 98,97,699 voters in 2014. This means there was an increase of only 1,18,049 voters in the last five years," he said.
"Data from election officers of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts revealed that total increase during these five years was of 18,93,686 voters and total deletions were of 16,23,612 voters. The difference between these two figures is of 2,70,074 voters ," he said.
Before deleting names of voters on such a massive scale, the election officials should have taken great care and it is seen that normal precautions like giving notices, if voters were not traceable, were not taken, he said. This callousness has destroyed the sanctity of the electoral rolls, he added.
"The only solution is to compile de novo electoral rolls by going house to house. Along with Mumbai it should be done for Thane and Pune as such lacunae were experienced there too," Naik said.
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