I thought today will be that day - my voter id card (EPIC) in my hand. After seeing the notices in newspapers, excitedly, I went to the school in the nearby halli, and asked for my card.
Hold on, said the guy, and asked me to first find my name in the electoral list so that I could get my 'serial number'. Well, I did vote during the assembly polls, I had my name then, so I just requested them to look up the list. We searched through the several pages long list, but my name wasn't to be found. Surprised, I said please try again, same result. To make things sure, I went to the voter list search website ('search name on voter list'). Couldn't look myself up there as well! Possible reason? The search page says - "as of 29-03-2008". I think I registered in early April.
So, the struggle continues. Either my name is now off the list, or I need some tools to search my name up in the latest list. Why are the latest voter lists not up the website? And why can't the same computer (that they use to print the photo cards at polling booths) to lookup names in the list? I asked several times, the guys was adamant that he can't search the list on the computer, though he can pull out any voter's details using a "serial number". Well, whatever. All I remember is - my name was there in the list two months ago.
Hope you all know that Karnataka will not allow you to vote without Voter ID card. They allowed use of other Government IDs during the assembly as long as your name was there in the list. But now onwards they wont. so you better start doing the running around for your card.
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Comments
it's the limit
This is the limit. We can't be taking this trash any more. WG, Online petition, PIL, networking with other NGOs across the country, and whatever required - we need to have this set right, and on priority. Check http://praja.in/bangalore...
Muralidhar Rao
Are you sure one can't vote without EPIC?
My name is in the list and I voted in the assembly elections. I used my passport as proof of ID and Address and so did the rest of my family.
According to law, any Government issued ID is enough for elections.
ID Issued - But not for me!
My (and my wife's) name is on the list. We have no ID. Last time around, when we went in to get our IDs, they told us IDs were issued already. Certainly not to us. I had heard of voting using someone else's name, but not getting a voter ID in someone else's name.
And nobody seems to know how to fix the error either. Response was simple - saar, computer tells me we issued you the ID. I cannot issue a second one!
Ravi
Got it, finally.
Someone called up from polling booth last evening, and said that my name was in an "addendum list" which they didn't look up while I was there. This is the list of people who got themselves added after 28-3-2008 (remember, I applied in April). Once I had my "serial number", getting a crd was a 5 minute job.
But, but, but. The guy didn't check to see if I was indeed the guy whose name is on the list - no photo id check at all. Which means, anyone could have gone and said Pranav from booth # xyz, looked up the name, found the serial number and taken the id card with his photo on it. Why not!? I bet a lot of this would be happening already.
And then, the guys asked my address, and date of birth right there, and just put in whatever I said. Well, no issues with that as long as this Voter id card is not going to accepted by anyone for checking my address and date of birth.
Setting up Identification infrastructure, esp in our country, is not child's play. But based on y our limited experiences, this (Voter id) doesn't look like a system with right checks and balances. Definitely not. And this is why I am not excited about BSY's new state id card plan. I am assuming he will mange to do no better that election commission which is an independent body with much narrower focus.
Now I know how
SB: Now I know how someone else got my ID! Insane.
not just insane - appalling!!!
not just insane - it's appalling! It has to be set right, and fast
Muralidhar Rao
The situation is pathetic.
The situation is pathetic.
CEO's response
I took up the matter with Mr Vidyashankar, and the following is his response:
Dear Mr.Muralidhar Rao,
Greetings.
Shantinagar pilot on identifying the problem, has been completed. Solution has to be fitted. Once the solution is fitted into the frame work, we will have an iteration on improving, fine tuning the frame work. We will certainly keep you posted.
I have gone through the attachment. Until we fully go online, there will be problems which will have to be addressed on a regular basis. We will discuss more of it during our next iteration.
Regards, M.N.Vidyashankar
Muralidhar Rao