25 Lakh Voters Missing in Chhattisgarh? Congress Leader Mohammad Akbar Seeks EC Answers
Alleging that nearly 25 lakh names have disappeared from Chhattisgarh’s electoral rolls, Congress leader and former minister Mohammad Akbar has sought answers from the Election Commission.
Raipur | Correspondent: Alleging that nearly 25 lakh names have disappeared from Chhattisgarh’s electoral rolls, Congress leader and former minister Mohammad Akbar has sought answers from the Election Commission. Raising questions over the apparent decline in voter numbers despite population growth after 2023, Akbar has demanded an investigation into the use of Form-7 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the process followed for deleting voters’ names.
Citing documents, Mohammad Akbar claimed that Chhattisgarh has witnessed a decline of 24.99 lakh voters since 2023. He said the Election Commission must clarify how many names were removed from the electoral rolls on the basis of Form-7 and whether the prescribed procedure was followed in each case.
According to Akbar, a total of 1,08,807 voters’ names have been deleted across Chhattisgarh’s 33 districts. The district-wise figures cited by him include 31,028 names in Raipur, 15,187 in Korba, 7,209 in Durg, 3,903 in Balod, 2,662 in Balodabazar-Bhatapara and 2,234 in Kabirdham.
Akbar has asked the Election Commission to disclose how many of these deletions were made on the basis of Form-7 objections. He also questioned whether statements were recorded from the people who filed objections and whether the voters whose names were sought to be removed were given an opportunity to present their side of the case.
Mohammad Akbar emphasised that the mere submission of Form-7 does not automatically result in the deletion of a voter’s name from the electoral roll. He said the concerned parties must be heard before an objection is acted upon, and the competent officer must be satisfied that the objection is valid.
Citing Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, Akbar said that anyone who deliberately provides false information or makes a false declaration in an attempt to get a name deleted from the electoral roll can face imprisonment of up to one year, a fine, or both.
He also asked the Election Commission to clarify how many complaints were found to be false and how many complainants had faced action in such cases.
The Congress leader pointed out that the victory margin between the Congress and the BJP during the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections was 6.32 lakh votes. In contrast, he claimed that the state’s voter count has declined by nearly 25 lakh since 2023.
Highlighting the difference between the election victory margin and the alleged decline in voter numbers, Akbar demanded that the Election Commission clarify the situation and provide a detailed explanation.
Akbar said transparency in the process of deleting names from electoral rolls is essential to ensuring free and fair elections. He demanded that the names of voters who were wrongly removed be restored to the electoral rolls.
He further stressed that no eligible voter should be deprived of the right to vote and called on the Election Commission to ensure that every deletion is carried out in accordance with the prescribed rules and procedures.
