Citizens take to social media to expose bogus vote enrolments

Hyderabad: In a first-of-its-kind reaction, Hyderabadis have taken to social media, protesting against the lacklustre response from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Hyderabad district collector and state Chief Electoral Officer over the alleged bogus voting in different parts of the city.

The demands included punitive action against the erring Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant EROs and senior officials for allegedly allowing bogus votes.

After the allegations of illegal deletion of votes in Shaikpet and Jubilee Hills, a new incident came into light under Malakpet Assembly segment on Tuesday.

Hitesh Agarwal, a resident of Professors Colony, took to social media to show evidence of how bogus votes were enrolled in his house number.

Agarwal, claiming as the resident of house number 16-2-705/1/7 of Professors Colony said that as a joint family, they have been living in the house for the past 45 years. There are about 70 members in their joint family. Out of several voters of his family, 15 to 16 votes were deleted in the newly published special summary revision of voters list of April 25, 2024.

He said that all the votes of his family fall under the polling booth number 70 of Malakpet Assembly constituency (58). Additionally, there is no possibility of anyone else living under his house number as they have been residing in it for the past 45 years. However, the latest voters list shows that people under serial numbers 39,41,43,42 and 45 were residents of his house number and were shown as bonafide voters, he added.

For example, serial number 39 in the revised voters list shows one Mukhram Hussain, aged 30 and son of Hyder Ali as a resident and voter with his house number.

“I could identify the bogus votes since it is showing my house number. We don't know how many such bogus voters were enrolled,” said Agarwal. He urged the ECI and the government of India to intervene to end bogus voting in Hyderabad.

Furthermore, a Class VIII student Nasreen (name changed), turns up at a polling station to vote, leaving everyone red-faced. In a video that surfaced on Tuesday, the minor was seen explaining that she was studying in Class VIII and was sent with a 'Parchi', not knowing that she was made to impersonate the vote of another woman of about 40 years.