Letter to the Chief Election Commissioner of India

Nov 25, 2015
By Dr. Nasim Zaidi

Subject: Re-polling in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Elections of 22nd November, 2015

Respected Sir,

Namaskar !

The Election Commission of India has established great image by regularly conducting free and fair elections in the country since India became Republic in the year 1950. It has been India’s pride across the globe where democracy is ushering. This is why some of the countries have sought ECI guidance and support for conducting similar election process in their countries. Organizing elections in a country like India, where there are somewhere around 1500 registered parties and the figure goes on increasing year by year and having a population with very diverse ethnicity, which has crossed 1000 millions long before is indeed a great achievement for ECI and, therefore, it is a matter of pride not only for you but for us also, the concerned citizens and NGOs like us.

However, the manner in which the process of conduction of local bodies elections in Gujarat going on is a matter of serious concern creating a blot in the glorious image of ECI.

With each day passing, more & more petitions are coming to High Court. It may not be surprising if SEC creates a record of petitions during this election completely tarnishing the image of ECI built over decades.

Since last one month, Hon’ble High Court of Gujarat has passed many strictures against functioning and process of conducting local bodies’ elections against the State Election Commission which is a matter of grave concern.

During the hearing the High Court of Gujarat came down heavily on the State Election Commission and remarked in the open court ‘Bear in mind that the election commission his an independent and is not controlled by the state or any agency’.

  1. As you may be aware that recent elections of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, were conducted on 22 November 2015 in which 1.03 lakh voters were denied their right to cast vote, though their names were already there in the voters list but carried red color ‘Delete’ stamp on their names. On November 20, 2015, SEC declared 83 lakhs eligible voters and final figure on November 22, 2015 was given as 38.79 lakhs. Within 24 hours, how that has happened is a matter of inquiry. The questions rose as to how, why, who and on whose instructions the names were deleted by stamping ‘Delete’ on the names of voters in the voters list in the last 24 hours.
  2. After receiving complaints from the political parties, the Collector of Ahmedabad announced through media and issued a circular to allow such voters whose names were already there in the voters list but carried ‘Delete’ stamp mark on the name will be allowed to vote. When the collector of Ahmedabad accept that delete of voters are there he issued a circular to the polling officers at the ground level. However, polling officers did not allow such voters in absence of written instructions to them. So we demand the Re Polling of the such voters before 2nd December, 2015 on the date of the Election.
  3. Procedure of the Election Commission is very elaborate to delete names of the voters and how without following prescribed procedures their names were deleted?
  4. It is learnt from the media and newspapers that voters’ names of a particular community were reportedly deleted in major numbers.
  5. After knowing full well all the above including complaints from the concerned voters and parties, why the State Election Commission is not giving re-polling which is also a mystery. The results of these Elections in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation are scheduled to be announced on 2nd of December 2015. There was ample time for State E.C. to conduct re-polling after including about 1.3 lakh deleted voters. For what reasons, SEC looks for the people to approach High Court to issue directives rather than applying its own mind and following constitutional procedure as is the case in the entire history of election commission.
  6. Your Ahmedabad’s concerned officers involved with election process including Chairman of State Election Commission, Collector of Ahmedabad, and Commissioner of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation are passing the buck to ECI, saying that it is ECI that prepares Voters list rather than offering timely solution to deliver justice to the voters. They are clearly stating that they have made use of the Electoral Roll / Voters’ List prepared by the Election Commission of India.

So, we have approached you to please give this matter your personal and prompt attention and use your good offices to order for re-polling before 2nd of December to take into account left out voters numbering over 1.3 lakhs.

Thanking you in anticipation and soliciting your favorable immediate actions to give justice to the voters of Ahmedabad.

Yours faithfully,

Gautam Thaker, General Secretary, PUCL Gujarat