Election Commission has found neames of over 5,500 dead people on the voters list in Madhya Pradesh
Over 5,500 dead voters and 1,900 multiple entries have been found in the voters list of Madhya Pradesh's Kolaras assembly constituency, where by-elections were held on February 24, Madhya Pradesh's chief election officer wrote in a letter to the Election Commission.
In the letter, sent earlier this month, state chief electoral officer Saleena Singh blamed the district collector and district electoral officer for the lapse, saying "There were 1,918 multiple entries and 5,537 dead voters in the voters list during the by-election in Kolaras in Shivpuri district."
It means booth level officers and the electoral registration officer did not pay attention towards it and even the district electoral officer did not monitor properly, the letter stated.
Ms Singh said if the collector and the district electoral officer had continuously reviewed the voters list, especially before the by-polls, then such a large number of dead voters would have not been included.
There has to be a review of the voters list by the collector and district electoral officer, which appears to have not been done, the letter stated. A copy of the letter was received in reply to an RTI application filed by anti-corruption activist Ajay Dubey.
"There are complaints of alleged irregularities in voters list of the state. We will approach the Election Commission for speedy action on the issue to ensure fair elections," Mr Dubey said, demanding action from the poll body against the Shivpuri collector.
Congress' Mahendra Yadav won from Kolaras constituency in the by-election, result of which were declared on February 28.
Mr Yadav got 82,515 votes, while BJP's Devendra Jain got 74,432 votes.
In March, the state chief electoral office had written to the collector of Shivpuri, Tarun Rathi to give his clarification over the issue of alleged irregularities in the voters list.
The Election Commission of India had sought response from the collector and the district electoral officer.
The Congress had in February this year complained to the Election Commission of alleged discrepancies in the voters list in Madhya Pradesh.
Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said recently that there were discrepancies in the electoral rolls in Madhya Pradesh and that they will be rectified before the year-end assemble polls in the state.
"Certainly, there are lapses (in revision of the rolls). After a probe, ineligible names will be removed from the list and new names will be added so that before the coming assembly polls, a correct voter list is prepared," he had told reporters in Indore on April 9.