Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: The Margao Congress Block accused supporters of the local MLA of obstructing its door-to-door S.I.R. (Special Summary Revision) awareness campaign, claiming that attempts were made to prevent the team from educating residents about their electoral rights and responsibilities.
Launching the campaign, Block Convener Savio Coutinho along with party members and BLA representatives visited households in Azad Nagar, where several residents reportedly informed them that their acknowledgement copies were not returned by the Booth Level Officer (BLO). As similar complaints emerged from multiple houses, the BLO of the area allegedly approached the team to justify the lapse, stating that he did not issue acknowledgement slips fearing that residents may misplace them — an explanation Coutinho described as “unjustified and irresponsible”.
According to Coutinho, the BLO also admitted that multiple-layer voter enrolments had taken place in Part No. 15. Many houses in the area have been rented out, and while the original occupants have shifted elsewhere, their names remain on the rolls along with the new residents, he said.
“We demand an explanation from the Election Commission if such multi-layer electoral rights can be permitted for a single household,” Coutinho said, criticising what he termed as systematic irregularities.
He also condemned the alleged interference by local political leaders. “While the Election Commission urges political parties to assist in the SIR process, police force is used to obstruct genuine efforts of the Opposition,” he charged.
Coutinho said the Congress aim was to ensure that every eligible voter is included in the electoral rolls and every bogus entry removed. He further alleged that deletions in Margao appeared targeted, claiming anti-Digambar Kamat voters could face systematic removal.
He added that BLOs were allegedly insisting that married women who are not supporters of the MLA shift their votes to their husband’s address, while those favourable to the MLA were allowed to remain on the same rolls. Similar bias was alleged in the case of Indian nationals working abroad, with enumeration forms reportedly denied to relatives of voters not aligned with the MLA.
The Congress Block said it will scrutinise the upcoming draft rolls and file complaints against any BLO found involved in illegal or unauthorized practices.
