The Goa CEO revealing 90,000 voters name anomalies detected during extensive field verification under the ongoing SIR is a surprise. The SIR is aimed at ensuring that no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible person is included. The discrepancy emerged after the state’s latest voter list was compared with the lists prepared across state in 2002. Those whose names to be removed were found ineligible as they are either citizens of the country, or dead, or have migrated elsewhere, or have their names registered at more than one place. In the past some Nepalese citizens had also obtained illegal voter cards. And some of the bogus voters are availing of govt schemes, but it is BJP govt that is giving those schemes to them. The objective of this exercise is to ensure accuracy and transparency in the voter rolls ahead of future elections, and that no eligible voter will be excluded without thorough verification. It needs to cleanse the roll of fraudulent and malicious voters. This will increase voter-level confidence and result in correct voting figures.
