Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa Congress leader Amit Palekar has raised concerns over alleged large-scale deletions from electoral rolls in St. Cruz and Panaji constituencies, calling the development “shocking” and urging citizens to verify their voter registration status.
In a social media post, Palekar claimed that names of long-time voters, including those who have participated in elections for over three decades, have been removed. “Was just going through the deleted names from Voters list from St. Cruz Constituency as well as Panaji Constituency and it’s shocking. Came across deletion of names of those who have voted for last 3 decades or more,” he said.
He further alleged that nearly 5,000 names have been deleted in St. Cruz alone, amounting to around 20 per cent of the electorate. “This seems to be deliberate attempt by Election Commission of India to rig election process,” Palekar stated.
Highlighting individual cases, he mentioned a senior citizen from Panaji whose name was allegedly removed despite voting consistently since liberation. He also questioned the role of booth-level officers (BLOs), claiming that responsibility was being denied.
Palekar has initiated steps to facilitate re-inclusion of affected voters but noted that the process could be time-consuming. He has appealed to the public to check their status in the voters’ list.
“Request all Goans to verify if your name is deleted from voters list,” he said, adding that a help drive will be launched from May 10 at the Merces office to assist voters with the process.
He also raised political concerns, questioning whether the deletions point to a “larger conspiracy,” while calling for greater transparency in the electoral roll revision process.
