Voter Registration Errors Leave Tribals In Lurch

Tribal families in Parvatipuram Manyam district are voicing anguish over alleged errors in voter registration, with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) issuing repeated notices citing discrepancies in names and family details. Holding these notices, residents have been visiting secretariats, seeking clarity and corrections. Many say they had voted in previous elections but are now being told that their names contain errors, leaving them confused and distressed.

They allege that the process disproportionately affects migrant workers, Dalits, agricultural labourers and economically weaker sections, putting their voting rights at risk. Notices are reportedly being issued for minor discrepancies, such as a missing letter in a name or differences in parents’ names.

“I have voted many times. In my case, ‘Murthy’ was written as ‘Murty’. Because the letter ‘h’ was missing, I was issued a notice to correct my voter details. How is this fair?” said Kolli Sambamurthy. He added that if educated people face such difficulties, the situation could be far worse for uneducated tribal families.

Residents also expressed concern over reports that invalid voter registration could affect access to welfare schemes, rice distribution and other government benefits, further heightening anxiety among vulnerable communities.

CPM leaders criticised the ongoing SIR process, alleging that it could disenfranchise poor and marginalised voters. They warned that lakhs of votes could be lost if the system continues and demanded that the Centre and state government cancel the process and adopt a simpler system to ensure that every eligible citizen can exercise their right to vote