Duty of election officers

#Duty of Electoral Officers

The act of removing genuine voters, especially women, from the electoral rolls without proper verification is a serious dereliction of duty on the part of the electoral officers. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that every eligible citizen can exercise their democratic right to vote. 

Instead, by arbitrarily striking off names from the voter list on the assumption that married women no longer reside at their ancestral homes, these officials are not only violating the principles of fairness and justice but also undermining the very foundation of democracy. Every citizen has the constitutional right to vote, and it is the moral and legal duty of electoral officers to protect, not deny, that right.

Such insensitive and bureaucratic actions reflect a lack of empathy, awareness, and professionalism among some panchayat secretaries and election officials. Denying women their voting rights without proper enquiry, even after they personally approach the officials, is cruel and undemocratic. Instead of facilitating participation, these officers are creating unnecessary hurdles and distress for voters. 

The State Election Commission and the Government must take this matter seriously, initiate strict action against the erring officials, and conduct proper training programs to make electoral officers more responsible, people-friendly, and respectful of citizens’ rights. The aim of election officials should always be to encourage voting, not to discourage voters.

-K A Solaman