Voting for the second phase of municipal election in Uttar Pradesh was marked by a large number of names missing from the voter lists across the State.
In Lucknow itself, many well-known persons as well as common voters could not find their names on the voter list.
Three-time Mayor of Lucknow Dauji Gupta could not find his name in the voter list in Naka Hindola area of the State capital, along with 20 family members. UP cabinet minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kalraj Mishra's names were also missing from the voters' list.
MLA Nasir Khan from Rampur also could not vote.
Mohammad Haider, a lawyer from Lucknow, was irate after he did not find his name in the original list. He located his name in some other ward’s list and eventually managed to vote.
"We voted for Vidhan Sabha elections and our polling station was Queen's college. However, it seems that the State election commission did not validate its list from the Central election commission's list. Could see the pain and anguish of people, especially the senior citizens whose statutory right to vote has been compromised because of irresponsible officials of the State election commission," said Mr. Haider.
Sayyad Ashraf Warsi, who runs a food store in Qaiserbagh, was, however, not that lucky. He could not find his name in the list in ward 44 of the Lucknow municipality where he lives. When he contacted officials, he said, they told him nothing could be done.
"I had used the same booth in Tikrahouse to vote in the Assembly election. I don't know what happened today. The officials at the booth went through the entire list but could not find my name," said Mr. Warsi, looking puzzled. He said there were many others at the booth like him.
Another voter in Lucknow complained that that his name was missing from all lists.
"My vote used to be in Lucknow Montessori College, Purana Quila but it seems that voting stations have changed. I was told to try at Municipal Nursery School opposite Loreto but could not find our names there. What a pity!" he said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also raised the issue through a tweet. "Media reports that a lot of voters names are missing from the voting list of today’s election. This type of digital India cannot take us forward," he said.
The State election commission is yet to issue a statement.
