Zeena Raphaun, 52, got herself enrolled on the voters’ list recently but doubts if she would be allowed to cast her vote.
Like Raphaun, thousands of genuine voters who don’t have election identification cards to prove their identity are unaware of their rights. There are oblivious to the fact that enrollment in the voters’ list is the only pre-requisite to cast vote. They only need to show a valid identification proof such as a PAN card or driving licence to participate in the MCG polls on May 15.
“I am constantly getting calls from voters who don’t know that they can cast their vote without a valid id. When I tell them about their right, they are happy,” said Nisha Singh, a candidate from ward number 30.
Raphaun is dismayed that she did not receive the id but is elated to have become a genuine voter in India where she returned only three years ago from Bahrain after two decades.
Colonel S Oberoi of Mission Gurgaon Development also urges city residents to vote regardless of identity cards.
“Ideally there should be a card when you vote, but the election commission has relaxed the rules because a lot of voters in Gurgaon don't have their cards. One can show any identity card issued by the government, semi-government or public sector enterprise but the card must have a number so that the voter can traced. Even a bank identification card or a senior citizen card can be used.”
“I will definitely go and cast my vote. As a responsible voter, I wanted to participate in the electoral process,” Raphaun said. Regardless of the fact that she had to repeatedly go to the municipal corporation office to get her voter’s identification card made, she didn’t lose spirit. Having turned away from the office thrice on reportedly frivolous grounds, she would have given up but due to her persistence, her name is there in the voters’ list, albeit without a card.
{{/usCountry}}“I will definitely go and cast my vote. As a responsible voter, I wanted to participate in the electoral process,” Raphaun said. Regardless of the fact that she had to repeatedly go to the municipal corporation office to get her voter’s identification card made, she didn’t lose spirit. Having turned away from the office thrice on reportedly frivolous grounds, she would have given up but due to her persistence, her name is there in the voters’ list, albeit without a card.
{{/usCountry}}“The person who was attending aggrieved voters used to give me a lecture every time I applied for the voter’s identification card. After I faced it thrice, I approached an election candidate who helped me with the process,” she said.