Donald Joseph Rego (61) had no reason to prove that he was alive. Until the draft electoral roll published on August 24 under the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) told him otherwise.
Voter Record Confusion Sparks Accountability Issues
Rego’s attempts to resolve discrepancies in voter records have led to a frustrating series of encounters with election officials. He reported being shuffled between offices, with each official deflecting responsibility. The assistant electoral officer (AERO) pointed to the booth-level officer (BLO), who then directed him to the data entry operator responsible for uploading the information via the SIR mobile application.
This situation highlights a growing trend where voters are compelled to search for old certificates and grapple with unexpected questions about their previously secure records. What appears to be a straightforward database issue is unfolding in homes, government offices, and hearing centers across the region, as individuals seek clarity on their voting status.
He was then asked to attend a hearing on Monday and explain his circumstances. Hegganahalli resident Nagaraju Shivappa’s BLO asked him to produce another document along with Aadhaar. “The portal kept showing an error. I would try again, but the application would not go through. Independent journalist Rohini Mohan received a notice flagging an alleged technical discrepancy even though there was not change in her name in previous records. The problems extend beyond Bengaluru.
About 52,000 voters in the coastal districts remain unmapped.
Nagaraju did not have an SSLC certificate or a passport and was advised to apply for a Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) He said he spent five days trying to submit the application. “My name is Rohini in the 2002 voter roll, father’s name Mohan, who is apparently a different person than Rohini Mohan whose father is Mohan,” she said. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada Raju K said the issue affected people working abroad as well as migrants living and working in the district.
