TEAM HERALD
CURCHOREM: Tension prevailed for nearly two hours at the Government Primary School in Mudai-Panchwadi of Shiroda constituency, after voters complained that the presiding officer had noted down serial numbers of ballet papers on the voter’s roll.
Sr Clotilda and Sr Anifa from Panchwadi argued with election officials that this would betray their secrecy in the free and fair polls.
“Election Officers issue the ballet paper to every voter after dictating the ballet paper serial number to the presiding officer, who in turn, writes it on the election roll against the name of the concerned voter,” said Sr Clotilda.
“Tomorrow, if they want to know whom you voted for, they can easily identify it by looking at the ballet paper serial number. So what kind of secrecy is this,” asked Sr Clotilda as she confronted Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) Rochelle Fernandes, who was summoned by the presiding officer to sort out the issue.
Later, independent candidates, Avdhut Poku Naik and Jaideep Shirodkar, joined in the protests and voting stopped for nearly two hours, as most voters were hesitant to enter the polling booth, for fear of revealing their identity in the ballot papers.
Later speaking to the media persons, Sr Clotilda added, “The number which is on the voting slip is dictated to the presiding officer and it is then written near the photo on the election roll, which they have. This is clear proof that our identities will be revealed. I don’t want this to be revealed to anyone. This is a secret vote.”
ARO Rochelle Fernandes then sought to pacify the agitated voters. “We are noting only the last three digits of the serial number, as per standing instructions of the State Election Commissioner (SEC) in all the constituencies in the State. Only the first polling officer is noting down the number and no one else is allowed to do so. This is done as per the guidelines issued by the SEC and we have to follow it,” insisted Fernandes.
Objecting to such guidelines without informing the public, some residents claimed that this had been done to pressurize the voters.
Speaking to media persons, ARO Fernandes said the rules were framed by the state election commission.
“The guidelines given to us are being followed. As per the guidelines, the last three digits of the ballet papers are to be noted on the marked copy, which is being done in the entire State. The marked copy then goes for sealing and it is never opened and it remains in the custody of the Returning Officer,” said Fernandes.
Later, DySP Dinraj Govenkar intervened and pacified the voters by suggesting that they could send a written complaint to the State Election Commissioner.
