Wokha Congress alleges voter roll discrepancies, calls for correction

Morung Express NewsWokha | October 27The Wokha District Congress Committee (WDCC) has raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls, with party leaders claiming that 6,547 voters in Wokha district had been identified as deleted or untraced. The issue was highlighted during a press conference held at Congress Bhavan, Wokha, on October 27 as part of the nationwide “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” campaign.Addressing the media, AICC observer Pranav Shagotra said more than 38,000 voters had been identified as deleted or untraced across five districts under his charge. In Wokha, he said, the figure stood at 6,547 out of a total electorate of 1,88,018. Shagotra informed that Congress leaders and workers in the district had been assigned to approach the District Election Officer (DEO) and seek necessary corrections to the alleged discrepancies. He added that supporting documents had been made available to party workers to facilitate the process.Speaking to the media, Shagotra alleged that the Central Election Commission was involved in the deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls across the country. He claimed that the BJP had instructed its district presidents and committees to identify Congress supporters and voters who were not aligned with the party, alleging that the information was subsequently forwarded to Central Election Authorities for deletion.Shagotra said the Congress would cross-check the available electoral data against previous records to verify discrepancies and identify the extent of the alleged deletions. He added that Rahul Gandhi would address the issue at an upcoming rally and present the exact figures. He also demanded accountability for those responsible for the alleged deletions.Nagaland Lok Sabha MP S. Supongmeren Jamir, who attended the press conference along with senior state and district party functionaries, said the campaign was intended to protect citizens’ rights, uphold democratic principles and highlight concerns relating to the electoral process.The Congress leaders also called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The press conference concluded with party workers reiterating their commitment to strengthening the Congress organisation at the grassroots level in Wokha district and creating greater public awareness about electoral issues.Jamir, meanwhile, shared figures on voter deletions in the state, stating that the electoral roll had recorded 13,07,208 voters. However, after the distribution and return of forms, only 11,49,456 were recorded, leaving a difference of 1,57,752 voters.He said the deletion list covered five categories such as untraceable voters, permanently shifted voters, deceased voters and those already enrolled elsewhere, among others.Jamir further stated that 6,542 voters had been deleted from the electoral roll in Wokha district. He said the department had also raised questions about the reasons behind the deletions and that a house-to-house verification exercise had been ordered.He added that not only Congress workers, but other political parties, are involved in checking the electoral rolls to identify missing voters.