PRAYAGRAJ — The Allahabad High Court has issued notices to Sambhal special SC/ST Act judge along with district magistrate Manish Bansal, SDM, tehsildar, naib tehsildar and a booth level officer (BLO), on a plea by a Dalit woman, who claimed that her name was ‘removed’ from the voter’s list during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
According to the petitioner Seema Devi, a resident of Akbarpur village in the Chandausi area of Sambhal district, she had raised several complaints but no action was taken and she could not exercise her voting rights.
Later, she tried to lodge a complaint under section 156 (3) of CrPC in the court of the SC/ST judge but the latter refused to order an FIR.
Consequently, Seema approached the HC and filed a criminal appeal.
Seema’s counsel Vimlesh Kumari told the reporters, “My client’s vote was cancelled without giving her any notice. Despite staying in the same address, she could not vote. After failing to get any response from administrative officials, she filed a case in the special SC/ST court but the judge, instead of ordering an FIR, directed the police to carry out an investigation.”
Vimlesh Kumari further said, “After three months, an affidavit was submitted in the court by the district administration that Seema was found ‘not living at the address’ and our complaint was quashed. Thereafter, we approached the Allahabad HC. Since the affidavit was signed by all officials from BLO to DM, the HC issued notice to all of them. This matter will be heard on February 28.”
A senior administrative official said, “The name has not been automatically removed from the voter’s list. There is a timely revision and if someone is not living at a particular place for a long duration, then the BLO can remove the name after a proper survey.”
District Magistrate Sambhal, Manish Bansal said, “I am unaware of this complaint and yet to receive any HC notice. We will take appropriate action once the notice is received.” — IANS
