Form 6 submitted by a security guard of an apartment in Bejai seeking inclusion of his elder sister’s name in the electoral roll was turned down at the helpdesk. Reason — the address mentioned in the application did not contain door number. He pleaded that the security guard’s room did not have a door number did not cut ice with the people behind the desk.
With no help forthcoming from the revenue officer in-charge of the helpdesk, the security guard was left wondering about the next course of action. “I have submitted copy of identity card issued by the postal department to my sister as a proof of address. I have also enclosed copy of the PAN card issued to her. I have the affidavit stating that she has not enrolled earlier. I do not know what to do now. I have been coming here since Friday,” he told The Hindu on Saturday.
After a few rounds of the helpdesk and the Mangalore City Corporation office, the security guard decided to go to the election office on the second floor of the office of the Deputy Commissioner. “They have received my application in the Deputy Commissioner’s office. I hope my sister’s name will be included on the rolls,” he said.
This security guard has been among the several people left high and dry in the absence of proper assistance from the people manning the helpdesk, which has been operating since March 20 from a space located at a corner of the MCC’s Commercial Complex, Lalbagh.
A first division clerk, a second division clerk and an office assistant have been sitting at the helpdesk meant to receive forms for inclusion of name, deletion, correction and transfer.
People visiting the helpdesk have an arduous task of going through bunch of files related to the electoral roll and find whether their names are included. They need to go through it even to find the serial number and the part number of the electoral roll where his/her name needs to be included. The computer with internet connection at the helpdesk meant to facilitate people has largely remained unused.
It took nearly two hours for Narayan Nayak from Bengre to discover that his daughter’s name has gone into the electoral roll without photograph. “I have now been asked to give her photographs to the teacher at the anganwadi, who had collected my daughter’s form last year.” Damodar, a transsexual, was asked to submit Form 6 and related documents at the helpdesk even though he had submitted the same online.
Visit
Deputy Commissioner N. Prakash and Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner Harish Kumar visited the helpdesk on Monday.
Mr. Prakash said arrangements would be made to display the electoral roll properly. Mr. Kumar said as many as 1,000 people have submitted their forms at the helpdesk. Another helpdesk will be opened at the Corporation’s sub-office in Kadri from Tuesday.
