With the April 7 deadline looming, the number of people seeking to include their names in the voters’ list at the election helpdesks across Mangalore has swelled.
The beeline has forced people seeking information to spend hours waiting for their turn. “I had to stand for two hours yesterday to know that I need to file an affidavit along with Form 6. Today, too, it’s the same case for submitting the form,” said M. Kumaraswamy, a doctor. The computer with internet connection at the helpdesk was not of use here.
Application forms for inclusion, deletion and correction of names on the voters’ list for people in the Mangalore South assembly constituency are received at the two helpdesks at Mangalore City Corporation Commercial Complex in Lalbagh and MCC building in Kadri. Forms pertaining to Mangalore North and Mangalore Assembly constituencies are being received by anganwadi teachers, who would submit them to the local village accountants.
The queue was the longest at Lalbagh helpdesk, which has been operating since March 20.
As many as 466 people filed enrolment forms. This was followed by 77 persons, including 19-year-old C. Manoj, who filed an application seeking correction in the electoral roll. “My father’s name has been mentioned against the part seeking my mother’s name in my Voter ID. This card was issued in January,” he said. The staff at the helpdesk said there was little time to look into the applications. “We are only accepting the forms given along with the documents. We are not raising any query as this is not taken kindly and people have complained against us,” said an official.
At Kadri, where people were fewer, 58 persons submitted forms at the helpdesk, which has been operating since March 26. The staff at the helpdesk said there had been an increase in the number of applicants since Tuesday when 112 persons submitted forms.
Teachers’ woe
Anganwadi teachers have been receiving the forms in Konchady, Kunjatbail and Pachchanady in the Mangalore North assembly constituency.
“People have been coming to the anganwadi and submitting the forms. We make a note about the applicant and submit the forms to village accountant, who forwards the same to tahsildar,” said an anganwadi teacher.
There has been an increase in the number of applicants. “It is eating into our school time.
‘But we can’t do much. We also run the risk of being targeted for deletions in electoral roll,” the teacher said.
