Election Commission’s special drive for universal adult franchise fails to reach Chakmas

By Tejang Chakma

On 25 January 2012, the National Voters' Day (NVD) was observed throughout the country. The NVD was started last year to commemorate the foundation day of the Election Commission of India and also to increase the participation of the voters, the youth in particular, in the democratic set up.

The NVD has already become a success with the registration of about 3.83 crore new electors across the country as on 1 January 2012. Most importantly, 1.11 crore are in the age group 18-19. However, the success was not that easy. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had to take up a nationwide special campaign to reach out to the newly eligible (18+) electors and register them in the just concluded revision of electoral roll with 1 January 2012 as the qualifying date. The Chief Electoral Officers of all States/Union Territories were instructed by the ECI to enroll every youth who has attained the age of 18.

Despite the success, the Election Commission’s special campaign failed to reach the Chakmas and Hajongs of Arunachal Pradesh. During the special revision carried out for the purpose, only few new electors have been enrolled in the four Chakma-Hajong inhabited Assembly segments of 14-Doimukh, 46-Chowkham, 49-Bordumsa-Diyun and 50-Miao.

The scenario is worst in the Diyun-Bordumsa segment with very low enrollment. As per the Electoral Roll, 2012 which was published on 5 January 2012 only 11 new eligible Chakma and Hajong electors have been enrolled during the special drive. This is despite the fact that majority of the Chakmas and Hajongs are concentrated in Diyun-Bordumsa segment having nine polling stations namely 30-Diyun IB, 31-Bijoypur, 32-Gautampur, 33-Jyotipur, 34-Dumpani, 35-Upper Mudoi Deep, 36-Jyotsnapur, 37-Dumpathar and 38-Haripur.

It is pertinent to mention that all eligible Chakma and Hajong voters have been submitting claims for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls. In 2003, Election Commission ordered Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in the Chakma and Hajong inhabited constituencies. However, majority of the claims were rejected. Finally, names of about 1500 Chakmas and Hajongs were accepted. Subsequently, many of these names were deleted. This is clear from the Electoral Roll, 2012 which shows that presently there are only 1087 (including the 11 additions) electors in Diyun-Bordumsa segment. Previously, names of as many as 81 electors were deleted. See the table below for detail.

Polling station	Addition	Previously deleted	Present Total
Diyun IB	Nil	Nil	14
Bijaypur-1-3	2	12	64
Gautampur	2	27	316
Jyotipur	NIL	11	192
Dumpani	4	8	113
Upper Modoi Deep	Nil	Nil	3
Jyotsnapur	Nil	8	144
Dumpathar	Nil	1	131
Madhupur	3	13	110

The inclusion of only 11 new electors is another instance of the failure of the Election Commission of India to ensure the enrollment of names of eligible Chakma and Hajong voters in the electoral rolls. This is nothing new considering that the ECI continues to fail to enforce its own orders/guidelines including for the special campaign which have been violated by its state level electoral officials.

There is no doubt that the mission of Election Commission has been successful with more and more youth participating. But what is more important is that not just the youth but all eligible persons from all section of the society are enrolled across the country. It is high time the Election Commission of India rein in its electoral officials who violate the orders/guidelines to make universal adult franchise a complete reality.