Voters at Two Ahmedabad West Polling Booths Allege Names Deleted

Many voters in the Bodakdev area of the Ahmedabad West seat alleged their names were missing from the voters’ list.

Voters argue with Deputy Collector of Ahmedabad Bharti Vaghela at Polling Booth number 165 and 166 in Bodakdev area of Ahmedabad on 23 April

Photo Courtesy: Rahul Nair@The Quint

As all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat went to polls on Tuesday, 23 April, several voters in the Bodakdev area of the Ahmedabad West constituency alleged that their names were missing from the voters’ list.

The state recorded 50.37 percent voter turnout till 3:30 pm, with peaceful voting in almost all other areas.

However, several voters were seen arguing with officials at polling booth number 165 and 166 and the deputy collector of Ahmedabad, near Judges Bungalow in Bodakdev, Ahmedabad West. They claimed their names were deleted from the voting list.

In one case, one Kaushik Patel’s name was deleted from the list, although his deceased wife’s name was still there.

“When I came to vote they told me my name was removed from the list. This is so weird. My wife had passed away last year and I hap written to the authorities to strike out her name from the voting list. Instead the deleted my name.”

Kaushik Patel

Names ‘Deleted’ From List

Kirti Ambavi, who was waiting at the polling booth to get answers from the officials as her husband was not allowed to vote, said:

“I left my mother in Bombay and came to vote. We reached the city at 2 am in the morning and came to vote here at 9:30. They say my husband’s name has been deleted from the list. But who authorised this. Only if I provide the system details and request them to delete my name then the process is legit. We saw a group of 120 people return from the polling booths due to this very issue.”

Meanwhile, the deputy collector of Ahmedabad, Bharti Vaghela reached the spot and tried to placate the angry citizens who could not cast their ballot.

Vaghela told the voters at the polling booth and informed them that their names were deleted immediately after the 2017 Assembly Election, before she took charge.

“They complained that their names have been removed from the voter’s list. When we revised the voter’s list the last time in September, the names that have been removed were marked as deleted. Their names were deleted in a drive conducted after the 2017 Assembly elections in June. Their names were not deleted in the current drive because their names are not in the voting list itself.”

Bharti Vaghela, Deputy Collector Ahmedabad

Eventually, none of the protesting voters could cast their votes, and had to begrudgingly walk away from the polling booths.

One of the voters who couldn’t vote, Mahesh Donga, asked:

“When I have to add my name or change my address, people demand 100s of proofs and push us around. But to delete ones name no proof is needed. Who was vested with such authority by Indian citizens?”