By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 17 Aug: The political atmosphere in Mussoorie has heated up over objections raised against names in the voter list during the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) process. The Congress has alleged that attempts are being made to exclude eligible voters—who have lived in the city for years—from the electoral roll by filing objections against their names. Expressing their displeasure, Congress workers and local residents have demanded that the administration conduct a fair and transparent inquiry into the entire process.
A memorandum submitted by the City Congress Committee to the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer states that objections have been lodged against the names of many voters who have resided in Mussoorie for a long time. Congress alleges that these individuals include members of the Muslim and Christian communities as well as other local citizens. These individuals have been on the voters’ list for years, and there is no information indicating that their names appear on the electoral rolls of any other location. Congress leaders argued that a voter’s name should not be removed from the list merely because an objection has been raised. They demanded that the person raising the objection be required to appear in person during the hearing to present their case and relevant evidence. Furthermore, they called for a ground-level verification of each case. The Congress also demanded that full details of the objections be made available to the BLA-2 (Booth Level Agent-2) and that the voter’s address be verified through the BLO concerned.
If necessary, confirmation should also be sought from the local ward councillor regarding whether the individual actually resides in Mussoorie. Local resident Idrish Ahmed remarked that the sudden filing of objections against the names of people who have lived in Mussoorie for years is a matter of concern. He urged the administration to evaluate any complaints based on documents and the actual situation, rather than on political or personal grounds.
Danish Khan stated that the inclusion of a name in the voter list is a matter linked to the democratic right of every eligible citizen; if a person’s name is removed without adequate verification, they could be deprived of their right to vote during the election. He demanded that the administration ensure a fair hearing for every objection. Shahzaib Ahmed expressed the locals’ apprehension that the objection process might be misused. He noted that while names incorrectly listed should be removed in accordance with the rules, eligible voters who have resided in Mussoorie for years should not be harassed.
Mahila Congress President Jasbir Kaur alleged that attempts were being made to target certain eligible voters for political reasons. She emphasised that the right to vote is guaranteed by the Constitution and that no eligible citizen should be deprived of this right solely based on a complaint. She demanded that the administration oversee the entire process impartially and make decisions only after verifying the authenticity of the complaints.
Congress leader Amit Gupta stated that the party is not opposed to the SIR (Summary Revision) process; while rectifying the voter list is essential, the names of eligible voters should not be deleted in the process. He urged the administration to establish a system ensuring that ineligible individuals are excluded from the list while eligible citizens are not removed due to unfounded complaints. He added that the Congress party is presenting its views to the administration on this issue and warned that any attempt to wrongfully remove an eligible voter’s name would be met with democratic opposition. Mussoorie SDM Rahul Anand stated that any action to remove a person’s name from the voter list would be carried out strictly in accordance with established rules and procedures. No name would be removed immediately based solely on an objection or complaint; decisions would be made according to the rules only after examining the necessary documents and evidence.
Several individuals, including Upendra Thapli, Mahesh Chand, Kamil Ali, Nasir Hussain, and Ejaz Ansari, and many others were present on the occasion.
