'Maintain transparency': Maha SEC directs checking of duplicate names in electoral rolls

Mumbai, Oct 29 (IANS) Amid charges of vote theft and bogus and duplicate names in the electoral rolls, Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC), on Wednesday, directed all concerned authorities to check possible duplicate names in the voter lists, taking appropriate precautions and necessary action in order to maintain transparency and accuracy in the upcoming local and civic body elections to be held in the state.

The SEC also reiterated that there is no provision to use the Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) in these elections.

The SEC's statement comes days after opposition parties had alleged that the menace of duplicate names in the voters' list was not handled by the poll body despite receiving complaints during the 2024 state Assembly elections.

The opposition parties have organised a protest in Mumbai in this regard and they have demanded that the elections to the local and civic body should be held only after rectifying the errors in the electoral rolls.

The SEC said that "The name of a potential duplicate voter in the draft or final electoral roll of local bodies is marked with a symbol. These potential duplicate voters will be checked locally to verify whether they are actually the same person or different persons. After the initial check of the name, gender, address and photograph of the voter, if they are found to be similar, an application will be taken from that voter in the prescribed format stating the exact ward, Zilla Parishad Election Division/Panchayat Samiti constituency where the voter will vote. Such a voter will not be able to vote at any of the remaining polling stations".

It added that if no response is received from a voter with a possible duplicate name, an undertaking in the prescribed format will be taken from the voter, saying that the voter has not voted and will not vote at any other polling station with his name, if such a voter comes to the polling station to vote.

"Such a voter will be allowed to vote only after strict identification," it said.

"There is no provision for the use of VVPAT in the laws or rules related to local body elections. Moreover, with some exceptions, almost all local body elections are conducted according to the multi-member ward system. For this, the 'Technical Evaluation Committee' (TEC) of all the State Election Commissions of the country is studying the development of voting machines with VVPAT connection facility and their final report is not yet submitted. Therefore, at present, it is not possible to use VVPAT in these elections," the Commission said in the statement.

Maharashtra State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare had earlier said that no VVPATs will be used in the upcoming local body polls in the state.

The statement issued by the Commission added that the provision was made for the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in local body elections in the year 2005 in various relevant Acts/rules; but there is no provision in the relevant Acts or rules regarding the use of VVPAT.

"At the same time, with some exceptions, the multi-member ward system is applicable in almost all local bodies. In the multi-member ward system, each voter has the right to cast an average of three to four votes. Keeping this in mind, the TEC is studying the development of technical specifications regarding VVPAT for these elections. Their report has not been received," it said.

The SEC clarified that after receiving the report of the Technical Specifications of VVPAT from the Technical Evaluation Committee, a suitable decision will be taken in this regard in the future.

"VVPAT has not been used in local body elections so far," it said.

In 1989, Section '61A' was included in the 'Representation of the People Act, 1951' regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Along with this, in 2013, Rules No. '49A' to '49X' and other rules were made under the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, regarding the use of VVPAT.

Accordingly, Electronic Voting Machines and VVPATs are used by the Election Commission of India in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

"The elections of local bodies in the state are conducted on the basis of the provisions of the 'Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888', 'Mumbai Provincial Municipal Corporation Act 1949', 'Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Towns Act 1965', 'Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Act 1961' and 'Mumbai Gram Panchayat Act 1958' and the relevant rules. The matter of making changes or amendments in them does not come under the jurisdiction of the State Election Commission," the statement added.

--IANS

sj/khz