Citizens in Bengaluru fume after finding names deleted

Hassain Saab and his family were left disappointed when they found their names changed in the voter roll, which them unable to vote. This is the first time that Hassain Saab, a visually challenged voter, was unable to vote at Ward 53, Chikkabasavantpura constituency in K R Puram.

His son Abbas said, “We were shocked to find different names against our voter IDs”. It is also the case with many others who either have found their names changed or deleted from the list. “We have never faced such problems in the past,” adds Abbas.

Rifat, another voter who found his name deleted from the list says“. I had voted in this same booth lasts year. But this year I found my name deleted from the list when I came to vote. Despite no change in my address, my name has been deleted. This is the case with many other voters from this constituency.“

He further adds that “when we ask the polling officers they ask us to enquire BBMP officials who in turn say that nothing can be done now and we will have to reapply after the elections are over. Who is responsible for citizens being unable to vote?”

200 people in Pulkeshinagar​ protest against missing names in voters' list

Over 200 people gathered near Ambedkar college in Pulkeshinagar shouting slogans against the government and election commission for being unable to vote.

"I was able to choose my MLA but I have been denied an opportunity to choose my MP because my name is not in the list," said Nazir Ahmed, 52-year-old.

He said that he has been voting at Mariam school in 24 polls, but was unable to do it this time. This is because his name is not in the voters list. He had even got his card corrected when there was a similar error 10 years ago.

But the case of Nagma Begum in the same constituency is different. Her details are intact on the election commission website but she cannot find her name in the voters list at the booth.

There are many others who came to learn that their name w deleted in the list. This was the case with 28-year-old Syed Sadiq who took leave his work to vote but found the term "DELETED" stamped against his name. "This was the first time I was going to vote for Loksabha elections. But was disappointed."

The people said that at least 80 names were missing in each booth and 40 deleted.