If the great festival of elections, anywhere in the country is going on, there is a strong likelihood that there will be a voter in Zuari Nagar. But their vote isn’t exclusive to that state or that election. Goa’s sprawling slums are home to many with dual identities, multiple voting cards and no real loyalty to politicians or politics. But it does give them benefits and quite obviously some cash.
Believe it or not, of the total 11,000 voters from Zuarinagar Slums, about 15 to 20 per cent own two voter ID cards, one of which is from their native place. Interestingly this vote bank from Zuarinagar decides the fate of political leaders from Sancoale panchayat as well as the Cortalim assembly constituency and hence more people get added to this the voter list every year due to a lax verification process.
Speaking to Herald, some of the political leaders from Sancoale village who have also thrown their hat in the election ring for the forthcoming Panchayat polls have confirmed this duplicity. Other local slum dwellers say they have information about voters from their area possessing two voter ID cards. They also confirmed that these voters have been actively using their voting rights at both places — at their native place and in Goa — during elections. Surprisingly this has been going on since last several elections.
“I have seen many people leaving for Karnataka, Orissa, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, during any elections there. Sometimes special vehicles are arranged from Karnataka for ferrying such voters to their native place during elections and this has been going on since last over 30 years,” said a candidate contesting from Zuari Slum ward in Zuarinagar under condition of anonymity.
During informal interaction with Herald investigation team, similar confessions were made by other local residents from Birla, Zuarinagar who said they faced no difficulties while obtaining voting cards in Goa since political leaders are keen in helping them in obtaining voter ID cards in Goa. This duplication is done despite having voters ID cards at their native place.
“I came to Goa some 16 years ago in search of a job and settled here. One of my local friends introduced me to a leader who helped me getting voter ID cards for my family so that we could vote for him during elections. Now, we have been voting here and in our home state during the elections,” said a slum dweller under condition of anonymity.
When speaking with many slum dwellers from Zuarinagar, Herald learnt that everyone who comes down to Goa and settles in Zuarinagar slums wants to obtain voter ID cards in order to also avail of other facilities provided by the government. Many of them even said that they are not at all aware of the fact that having two voting cards is punishable under Section 31 of Peoples Representation Act.
“The act says that any person keeping two voter ID cards have to compulsorily mention the number and place of both cards and declare which ID card he/she wants to retain. However, due to loopholes in the verification process, number of people having dual ID cards is increasing, especially at the slums of Birla Zuarinagar”
But Zuari nagar has taken this a step further. In the 2012 Panchayat polls, a complaint with proof of a candidate- yes a candidate- having dual voter ID cards was made before the then returning officer. However, no action was initiated and since then people from Zuarinagar slums have given up complaining about such voters or even candidates having two ID cards.
Within few days from now, the voters from Zuarinagar slums, will elect their leaders in the Panchayat. Those having dual voting cards will also vote without any fear. In the next elections, the election roll of Zuarinagar area will have additional voters. And some of them might get their second voter ID cards from Goa government. This scenario is likely to continue until the concerned officials take this issue seriously and try to stop this menace by implementing strict verification process before issuing new voters ID cards to migrant settlers.
Meanwhile those in the office of Mormugao Mamlatdar informed Herald that they have not received any complaints with regards to dual voter ID cards from Zuarinagar. The officials, under condition of anonymity, said that they have been duly following the verification process before issuing new voter ID cards to any new applicants, including migrant settlers .If any specific complaint will be made then action will be surely initiated, they added.
But ground realities are very very different from these assurances.
