Goa MLA claims over 50 voters transferred from one constituency to another; CEO says will check

Legislator and Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai is learnt to have filed a complaint with the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, alleging that some voters were illegally “transferred” from one assembly constituency to another in South Goa. The CEO told The Indian Express they will conduct an inquiry into the claim.

Sardesai, the MLA from the Fatorda constituency, filed a formal complaint via email with the CEO’s office on Friday, it is learnt.

In the complaint, Sardesai claimed that more than 50 voters from the Curtorim assembly constituency have been “unlawfully migrated” to the electoral rolls of the Fatorda assembly constituency, while retaining their original house numbers and therefore bypassing legal delimitation procedures.

Sardesai, the MLA from the Fatorda constituency, filed a formal complaint via email with the CEO’s office on Friday, it is learnt. (X/@VijaiSardesai)

“Those electors were part of the Curtorim assembly segment during the 2012 and 2017 general elections. However, they have mysteriously and illegally appeared in the electoral rolls of the Fatorda assembly constituency for the years 2022 and 2026… It has come to my specific notice that more than 50 voters, as detailed (in the) annexures attached to this representation, belonging to the Curtorim Assembly Constituency have been unlawfully migrated to the electoral rolls of the Fatorda Assembly Constituency while retaining their original house numbers…,” he wrote in the complaint.

Sardesai said this raises concerns about the integrity and accuracy of electoral databases, compliance with notified constituency boundaries, and non-adherence to procedures prescribed under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and relevant Election Commission of India guidelines.

“The territorial boundaries of an assembly constituency are strictly governed by the statutory delimitation orders and legally operative notifications. Electoral registration must strictly conform to these boundaries and the statutory requirements governing an elector’s ordinary residence under the law,” the complaint stated.

Claiming this is “merely the tip of the iceberg”, Sardesai sought urgent intervention of the CEO office to inquire into the “unauthorised transfer of voters”.

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The complaint mentioned that the last general delimitation of Goa’s assembly constituencies was conclusively carried out between 2002 and 2005, with final orders published in 2005 and subsequently incorporated into the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008.

Sardesai said the objective of the complaint is to safeguard the integrity of electoral rolls, uphold the legally notified boundaries of assembly constituencies, and maintain public confidence in the democratic process. He called for an impartial and time-bound investigation into what he claimed was a “deliberate attempt to manipulate electoral records.”

Along with the complaint, Sardesai enclosed the names of voters from the electoral roll of 29 Curtorim for 2012 and 2017, and of 30 Fatorda for 2021 and 2026.

The complaint further sought the immediate deletion of all voter entries allegedly shifted from Curtorim constituency to Fatorda constituency. “Initiate appropriate departmental disciplinary proceedings and criminal prosecutions against all individuals found responsible for negligence, misconduct, abuse of authority, or deliberate falsification of records. Conduct a state-wise audit to verify whether similar illegal shifting of constituency boundaries and voter migrations has been carried out in other constituencies,” the complaint stated.

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When contacted, Sanjay Goel, Chief Electoral Officer, Goa, said, “We will check the complaint and get an inquiry conducted through the DEO (district election officer). If a complaint has come… from any channel… an inquiry has to be done.”