Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, K. Jayraj and other B. PAC members with B. PAC-trained candidates contesting BBMP elections in Bengaluru on Friday (Photo: DC)
BENGALURU: It’s been more than a year since Shivanna Angadi, a resident of Nagasandra Colony, has been trying to obtain a valid Voter’s ID. In his first attempt, his name and address were right, but the photo was wrong. When he submitted for correction, the same card was returned as ‘corrected’. He tried to get it corrected again and the BBMP officials told him, “Sorry, we do not have stock of holograms and have stopped printing new cards!”
Angadi is now determined not to vote in the BBMP elections, if the civic body does not come to his help. Like him there are thousands of citizens in Dasarhalli constituency, who are facing similar problems and are worried if they can even vote this time. Though many residents have enrolled for voter’s ID in January, the BBMP has not initiated the process of printing new EPICs (Electors Photo Identity Card). With polls approaching, there is a scramble among the citizens to get enrolled as voters, but the BBMP is unable to cope with the demand.
A returning officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “Though the SEC is supposed to provide the holograms for voter’s ID, it is the responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer, who is also the BBMP Commissioner. However, in the last few months there was uncertainty over the conduct of elections. It seems like the BBMP was never prepared for it.”
A BBMP official at Chokkasandra ward office (Ward No 39) admitted that many residents had applied for voter’s ID and were demanding cards, but they had to be sent back empty handed.
