The Utter Pradesh, Election 2012: An Election without Voter ID Cards, Erroneous Voter List and Confused Voters

Since 2003, I am living in Shipra Sun City, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, UP- 201014 . I am a citizen of India and highly enthusiastic about using my rights to vote and electing the political representative for eventually providing effective, efficient and reliable government. Nevertheless, I could not vote on 28 February 2012 because of the following reasons. I would enlist my points, rather than writing a descriptive text for the readers to read distinctively:

1. Seven month back, In July 2011, I was informed by the local branch of The Election Commission (EC) of India that the voters ID cards for 6 members of my family were ready for issue. This was declared through a notice issued by my Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA).
2. The RWA informed that the voter ID cards, after collecting the same from the EC office will be issued to the individuals from their RWA office.
3. Nonetheless, contrary to their declaration, the EC authorities refused to distribute the voters ID cards through the RWA. However, they assured that the voters ID cards will be delivered by the EC authorities themselves, directly to the voters at their residences.
4. I, along with many others in our area, awaited for the voters ID cards all through seven months and finally did not get any. As on today, we are not having any voter ID card.
5. Eventually the election date arrived on 28th February but we were running around for voter ID cards and were shocked to know that our names were not traceable on the voters’ list either.  
6. We went to the polling booth and were refused by the staff to search for our names in the voters’ list and allow us to vote. 
7. Polling booth staff wanted to know our serial number on the voters’ list so that they could locate our name there.
8. The voters’ lists had only the worthless ‘serial numbers’ that had no relevance with any personal details of the voters like ward number, house number, booth number etc based on which the names could be located.
9. Since I along with many others did not have the ‘serial numbers’ we tried to search for our name through the ward number and house number. 
10. But, nothing worked and finally after running around for the whole day we could not use our fundamental right to vote in an election. 
11. I searched all the websites of Election Commission of India and could not find the voters list for my area ‘Sahibabad’ / ‘Indirapuram’ / ‘Ghaziabad’

The Election Commission of India claims about fair and free elections. They boast of doing commendable job by conducting successful elections in India. But, I do not accept their claim… because their organization has pathetically failed in issuing voters’ ID cards to the voters and making fault-free voter lists for ensuring the voters that each one of them will be made to vote. 

I have lost faith in the Election Commission of India and wonder why Anna Hazare wants Lokpal on the lines of this organization. 

Please click on this link and read the details of job allotted to the Election Commission for making the Electoral Roll or Voters list:  

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