Sambalpur: Names Missing from Voter List, Who is Responsible for It, Questioned

Sambalpur: Hundreds of voters who had cast their votes in the last election were deprived of voting today. When they went to the booth where they had voted previously and checked the list, their names were missing. They frantically tried to see if the booth had changed but to no success. This incident has raised questions about how their names were omitted from the list, despite having voted in the last election. Even in cases where a deceased father’s name was on the voter list, the person’s name was missing.

Various booths in Sambalpur witnessed strong dissatisfaction with this incident. While many people’s names were not on the list, the names of individuals who had died 15 years ago were still present on the voter list. Some voters expressed that the Election Commission needs to consider this issue and arrange for re-voting for those who were deprived of their right to vote.

Some people, unable to find their names on the voter list, approached their local village Aanganwadi officials for assistance. Some were even heard saying that they would meet the district governor to raise their concerns.

According to lawyer Basant Mishra, if a person’s name is not on the voter list, there is a provision to vote by filling out the “right to vote” form under Section 49-A and showing an Aadhaar card. However, there are complaints that the district administration has not prepared for such situations.