STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Rights group Assam Public Works (APW) on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission of India (ECI), calling for the deletion of what it described as lakhs of illegally registered voters in electoral rolls across the State. The organization asserted that safeguarding the political and social rights of indigenous communities required urgent corrective steps from the poll panel.
APW, which has been active for over two decades in campaigns against terrorism, corruption and nepotism, stated that its assessment of voter lists from 1951 onwards indicated the presence of more than 41 lakh illegal entries prior to 2006. The group also reminded the ECI that the figure had been acknowledged in the Supreme Court during proceedings of Writ Petition (Civil) 274/2009, in which APW is the primary petitioner.
The organization claimed that it had approached the Supreme Court after verifying anomalies in the electoral rolls, following which the court agreed to hear the matter and directed the preparation of an updated National Register of Citizens for Assam. The draft NRC was published in August 2019 under the supervision of the apex court.
APW said controversies arising after the publication of the draft NRC, including allegations of forged documents and procedural lapses, could be addressed through the legal process. It argued, however, that rectification must now extend to the electoral rolls to ensure fairness and prevent the domination of illegal voters, which it said could undermine social justice.
In its memorandum, the organization demanded that all names identified as illegal voters prior to 2006 be removed, along with the names of their descendants. It further urged the ECI to protect the constitutional rights of genuine citizens and guard against what it described as attempts by vested interests to mislead the commission.
APW asserted that any misuse of voting rights must be prevented and called for special attention from the ECI to ensure accuracy and integrity in the electoral process.
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