PANAJI: Civil society groups have rued the State election authorities’ decision to keep in abeyance the verdict of Wanarmare tribal Dhondu Rajaram Pawar’s petition, leading to denial of voting right to him in the Assembly polls.
According to Goa People’s Forum convenor Advocate Satish Sonak, Mr. Pawar was left out while the electoral democracy celebrated when 40 of 41 adult Wanarmare tribals voted in the elections, after being accorded voting rights by the election authorities for the first time. The tribals, from Nirancal village of Shiroda constituency in Central Goa, were able to secure voting rights after civil society activists intervened.
Referring to Mr. Pawar’s case, Mr. Sonak told the The Hindu that as per Section 16 of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1950, a person is disqualified for registration in electoral roll if he/she is not a citizen of India, is of unsound mind, or is, for the time being, disqualified for voting, under provisions of any law relating to corrupt practices and other offences in connection with elections.
He also said that according to Section 19, and subject to above restrictions, any person who is not less than 18 years of age on the qualifying date and is ‘ordinarily’ a resident in a constituency, would be entitled to be registered in an electoral roll of a constituency.
The meaning of ordinary resident as per section 20 of the Act is, “A person is said to be ordinarily resident in a place if they use the place for sleeping. Temporary periods of absence from this ordinary place of stay can be ignored... On the other hand, persons living in sheds, and persons living on pavements, without any roof, are eligible for enrolment, provided they are ordinary residents in the sheds or on pavements in a particular area, and do not change the place of residence and are otherwise identifiable.”
When asked for a response in the matter, South Goa Collector Swapnil Naik said on Friday that a hearing has been held and his order is awaited.
Mr. Naik said that Mr. Pawar did not posses identification documents, like an Aadhar card or a ration card, which the other members of the tribal community did, including Mr. Pawar’s mother and brother.
When asked about the questions being raised on social media and by civil society activists — that the collector should have given a ruling ahead of the election — Mr. Naik said even if he had given a ruling in Mr. Pawar’s favour, he would not have been eligible to vote for the February 4 polls as the last date of entry to the electoral roll had expired by then.
