Voter rolls verification: Pay special attention, M K Stalin tells DMK cadres

CHENNAI: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) having announced a voter rolls verification process- to make name additions, deletions, change of address and other changes- from September 1-30, the DMK president M K Stalin has asked party functionaries at all levels to pay special attention to this process.

In a statement here on Tuesday, Mr. Stalin pointed out that this year the EC has introduced a "new system" for verification of names in the electoral voters list.

The process has been made easier with voters directly visiting the EC's 'NVSP portal' to make the required changes online or through its mobile app.

This process will go on for 30 days till end of September and based on the changes effected to the electoral rolls, the EC will publish the revised draft rolls by October 15. The voters can also make use of facilities like 'common service centres' and E-Seva Centres' run by Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV corporation, through the 1950 helpline designated by EC or at directly at the help desks set up for voter verification. However, any change will have to be done with the due documents notified by the EC, including date of birth furnished in the school leaving certificate, Aadhhar card, passport, driving license, family ration card among others, particularly if voters directly approach the concerned booth officers.

Explaining all these aspects to party functionaries at various levels, particularly district secretaries, union secretaries, panchayat, town panchayat and ward secretaries of the DMK, besides booth agents, Mr Stalin urged them to involve themselves fully in this 'voter list verification' exercise and "pay special attention" to the process. Party functionaries should also write about the status of this process to the DMK headquarters in Chennai, he added.

Opposes hike in toll rates at NHAI toll plazas:
In a separate message posted on his Twitter handle, Mr. Stalin condemned the sudden increase in toll rates for motor vehicles at NHAI toll plazas. This will severely affect the middle class who travel by road, besides traders and merchants who are heavily dependent on roadways for transporting goods.

Demanding a roll-back of the hike effected, Mr. Stalin said the longer the usage of the roads, it was only proper that toll rates were reduced. But instead, the government was resorting to 'surreptitious' hike, he said, adding, highway tolls should not be detrimental to people's interests.

In another message, Mr. Stalin thanked the Puducherry Lt Governor Dr Kiran Bedi for giving consent to the Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy's proposal to name two arterial roads in the UT after the late DMK leader Kalaignar Karunanidhi.