‘Measures to check duel enrolment of voters inadequate’

Thodupuzha: Nearly 100 persons will be removed from the electoral rolls in Udumbanchola Assembly constituency of Kerala and Cumbum Assembly constituency of Tamil Nadu who were found to have electoral registration in both the constituencies.

The action followed a High Court order to eliminate duel enrollment in Idukki district of Kerala and Theni district of Kerala.  However, the Desiya Paristhithi Congress (BPC), which had approached the Court, says that the action was incomplete and more people still had duel registration.

The authorities had issued notices to 132 voters. However, only less than 100 persons turned up.  After hearings, decisions were taken to remove them from the electoral rolls of either Udumbanchola or Cumbum constituency based on their choices. According to reports, 47 persons had opted to be removed from the rolls of Udumbanchola constituency.

Officials from Udumbanchola and Uthamapalayam were present at the hearing.

Secretary of BPC Babu George Vattoli, who had been raising complaints about duel registration for some time now, told News and Views that the action taken by the authorities were inadequate. Many still remained on both the rolls of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Court had directed the Election Commission to use software to eliminate duel registration as had been done in Hyderabad. However, this had not been done. So, he would be approaching the Court again for enforcement of its order.