From the available press reports it seems clear that despite any number of voter surveys, the situation in Hyderabad old city remains unchanged. The alarming situation can be understood from the fact that in one single address called `old house’ in Yakutpura, there are 2530 registered voters (37,267,281, 289 polling booths). In the same segment another door number (17-1-181/A/38) has 586 registered voters; in Charminar segment, a door number (2-2-676/1) has 176 votes; it’s even more strange that in the actual locations, these door numbers are not even present. The fallacy of the revised voter lists becomes evident when it is observed that 3971 addresses exist on the electoral rolls, listing thousands of voters who may not even exist.
Repeated revision of voter lists was undertaken, before and after GHMC elections and currently the exercise is underway. The recent list announced on 10th September 2018 continues to have enormous errors and would have a clear impact on elections in those constituencies. Despite complaints by several leaders of political parties, the lists haven’t been rectified. Many concerned citizens have stated that these glaring errors would only create more doubts in the minds of people regarding the electoral revision process and the credibility of elections.
It is shocking that ISI/SIMI terrorist Vikaruddin, who the police declared as dead in an encounter in April 2015, still lives in the voter card (JJK 8685414, House no 16-9-329) in Malakpet constituency. Reporters have searched innumerable houses which listed hundreds of voters in Vikarabad and Charminar constituencies with the support of police constables, MCH workers etc, but couldn’t find the addresses. In a particular address (17-2-314/1/5) in Yakutpura, the house owner clarified that only 2 persons live there, whereas GHMC voter lists show 210 voters. More addresses were searched, but the houses were not found. (D.No. 17-1-175 in chaman bazaar shows 374 voters, D.No. 17-1-181/A/38 in vikas nagar shows 586 voters). Several door numbers in Charminar area too were not found.
A leader in old city, Ponna Venkataramana said he posted several blank registered letters to numerous households which show more than 250 voters, to verify the voter lists, and a majority of them have returned as addresses were non-existent according to the Postal dept.
It seems obvious that the advanced software and geo-tagging used to identify voters and their addresses in the IRER (Intensive revision of electoral rolls) undertaken in 2017 proved to be a total failure, and huge funds spent on IRER have gone wasted. Concerned citizens are demanding a thorough investigation and action against all erring officials, and fresh accurate electoral lists.
Source: Eenadu Newstoday
