The Election Commission has made all preparations to ensure that all people who were forced to live in refugee camps post Muzaffarnagar riots would be allowed to vote in the coming lok Sabha elections.
Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said that no one will be deprived of his right of franchise. "Anyone who is bonafide resident of India and fulfils the eligibility to cast votes would be allowed to use their right of franchise," Sinha told The Pioneer on Sunday. There were reports that the people who are living in camps would be deprived of voting in this edition of lok Sabha elections because they have left behind their Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) in their respective villages and now do not live in that village any more and do not want to return to there any more. Government records suggest that more than 4000 people are still residing in the make-shift camps in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli regions of Uttar Pradesh.
"The election commission has decided to prepare their fresh EPIC on their new address after cancelling their old identity cards," Sinha said. This work will be completed very soon. Officials have been sent there and they have started process to get these people registered in their new address. Meanwhile, the Election Commission organised Voters’ Chaupal in all the 1,40,259 polling booths of the state to ensure voters’ list was updated. The people whose names were found missing were included after filling Form 6. Over 20 lakh people had filled their forms, Sinha said
Sinha said that response of the people was very good. The commission has decided to organise similar chaupals every Sunday at the respective polling booths where voters can redress their complaints. "The Commission appeals to the voters to get themselves registered and carry out changes in the voters’ list if required," the CEO said.