MLA's office sends voter slip on WhatsApp; sparks controversy

Some voters in Malleswaram were stunned to receive a message on WhatsApp that included excerpts of their voter slip, sent from the MLA’s office.

A few residents called it illegal and questioned how the MLA, who is also a cabinet minister, could have access to the voters’ mobile numbers.

While candidates contesting elections have access to the electoral rolls in image format, the Election Commission does not share mobile numbers with any candidates nor are the numbers linked to the voter slip.

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Interestingly, the Malleswaram MLA had access to the mobile numbers, as each message was directed to the voter and included their name, voter card number, relatives’ names, and booth address.

It has been reported that one of the voters has already registered a complaint with the returning officer, stating that the MLA illegally accessed his mobile number. Some residents also took to micro-blogging website Twitter to question the MLA’s actions.

Venu Madhav tweeted: “I received an SMS with my voter details signed in your name. Can you please tell me how you have illegally obtained details connecting my voter slip with my phone number? Can you please tell me how much money you have spent on this exercise?”

Vinay Kumar, a member of the Citizens for Sankey collective, said the messages amounted to a violation of privacy. He questioned how the MLA could have access to the mobile numbers and stated that most of the voters who received messages did not sign up for them.

Suspecting illegal access to the data, he pointed out that candidates are only given access to electoral rolls in image format and not in text format.

These developments took place just after the controversy over the theft of electoral data involving NGO Chilume had rocked the state.

The MLA’s office said they have sent messages only to those who shared their contact numbers in the past on their own.