Pilerne forum meets CEC over bogus voter names
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 31
A delegation of Pilerne Citizens Forum on Tuesday met the Chief Election Commissioner of India Dr S Y Quereshi and placed before him inconsistencies in implementing the CEC guidelines in enrolling voter names in the electoral rolls in Goa.
Adviser to PCF, Adv Yatish Naik, said PCF presented several documents and facts to Quereshi to bring to his notice that mamlatdars in the State were not following CEC procedures to register voter names in electoral rolls. “In the 20-minute meeting we showed the commissioner different replies given by mamlatdars,” he said.
Adv Naik said Quereshi has assured them he would go to New Delhi and issue proper directives to look into the matter and directed them to meet his secretary Bernard John. Accordingly, the PCF delegation met John at 3 pm today and also explained the matter to him in detail, he stated.
He said John was present with another officer and the State Chief Election Officer Gonesh Koyu. Both Quereshi and John have expressed, prima facie, it appeared that Election Commission guidelines were not followed and the matter needed further investigation, he mentioned.
Adv Naik said that John asked the delegation to get in touch with him on September 10 on the matter. “The CEC’s secretary assured us that he would tell us on that day what steps they have taken in the matter,” he added.
The PCF has asked Quereshi scrutinise whole electoral rolls in Goa and on completion of the job, delete whichever names have been added without following the election guidelines. The forum made it clear that if the CEC failed to look into the matter it would knock the doors of the High Court.
Adv Naik said Quereshi has asked for a detailed report from his secretary on the facts placed before him by PCF on inconsistencies by mamlatdars in following CEC guidelines to enlist voter names.
