Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 25: A case has been registered at Dharavi police station against local resident Giridhari Swaminath Jaiswal for allegedly filing 24 applications in a single day seeking deletion of names from the draft voter list under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Maharashtra, exceeding the prescribed limit of 10 applications per day.

Applications seeking deletion of names from the electoral roll are submitted through Form 7. However, applicants may face legal action if they provide false or incorrect information.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in a press statement, said the prescribed rules had been violated and a complaint had consequently been filed against Jaiswal for submitting Form 7 applications containing false and incorrect information.

“It has been found that the prescribed rules have been violated. Accordingly, a complaint has been filed against Jaiswal for filing an application in Form 7 by giving false and incorrect information in violation of the rules,” the BMC statement said.

When contacted, Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam said action was being taken in accordance with the instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and his office.

The Opposition and civil rights groups have raised concerns over the use of Form 7 to seek the deletion of names of eligible voters from electoral rolls.

Election authorities, however, have maintained that action is taken against applicants who submit requests based on incorrect information and that such applications are scrutinised before any decision is taken on deleting names from the voter list.