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| Election cards withheld for 18 months | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 30: Even as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Naveen Chawla hailed people for their "awareness viz-a-viz election identity cards", the authorities in the state seem in no hurry to issue election identity cards to those voters who could not get the important document during the assembly and parliamentary elections held last year. Eighteen months have passed since elections were held in the state but the elections cards have not been issued to thousands of persons yet.
According to informed sources, the cards of thousands of voters have been withheld for `security reasons' especially in the Kashmir Valley. The sources said the election cards issued previously were used by anti-national and anti-social elements. All such cards, they said, were cancelled. The authorities at New Delhi urged the state government to issue fresh identity cards to the voters after proper scrutiny to prevent their misuse by unscrupulous elements. However, thousands of voters were left high and dry during assembly elections in 2008. Many among them were willing to go to the booths notwithstanding the boycott call by the separatists but could not exercise their franchise for want of identity cards.
The authorities had promised issue of all pending cards a month before Municipal elections which were scheduled to be held in April-May. However, for security reasons the elections were postponed. The government intends to hold municipal elections in September-October this year.
The election identity cards, it may be mentioned, is an important document and in a conflict zone like Jammu Kashmir, it is dangerous to venture out without the card. But the process of issuing the cards has become as cumbersome as issue of passports.
The process of making and issuing the identity cards is almost fool proof. The field staff of the concerned department visit the area and meet the voters personally. The chances of unscrupulous elements laying hands on the important document, therefore, seem quite bleak.
Pertinent to mention, every voter is entitled to receive Rs 15 from the field staff who call on him to ascertain his residential proof and other vital details. The non-issuance of cards to thousands of people, sources believe, smacks of a scam.
A BLO (Block Level Officer) preferring anonymity said thousands of cards were gathering dust in the office of the returning officer at Srinagar. "The cards have not been issued for unknown reasons", he said.
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