NGO says voters being intimidated with illegal paperwork requests; seeks clarification from CEO
MARGAO
In a first major allegation levelled against Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in the ongoing Special Identity Register (SIR), a BLO has been accused for insisting on passports from citizens in Salcete.
In fact, the Citizens for Democracy Goa (CFDG) raised serious concerns on Tuesday regarding the ongoing SIR enumeration drive in Goa, alleging that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in certain constituencies in Salcete are demanding copies of passports from citizens, despite clear instructions to the contrary.
CFDG Convenor, Elvis Gomes, stated that while the enumeration forms are being distributed and collected by BLOs, reports are surfacing that BLOs in parts of Salcete are operating under instructions from alleged ‘higher ups’ to obtain passport copies.
“There are clear instructions that no documents are required to be submitted along with the SIR enumeration forms,” However, we have received multiple reports from citizens in Salcete constituencies stating that BLOs are asking for copies of their passports, claiming these instructions are coming from higher authorities.”
Gomes alleged that this directive appears to be a deliberate and unwarranted obstruction tactic. “We believe this is a mischievous and deliberate attempt to create hurdles and prevent eligible people from entering the voters’ rolls,” he asserted. “Such unauthorized and non-essential demands, especially for documents like passports, will inevitably lead to confusion and intimidation, potentially discouraging citizens from participating in the enumeration process.”
