3.56 lakh electors in Vadodara lose voting right

Vadodara, Dec 1 (UNI) More than 3.56 lakh electors in Vadodara district have virtually lost their right to vote in the coming Gujarat Assembly elections having failed to get the Election Commission's photo identity card.

According to the district election office sources, out of the total 27,19,666 electors in the district, only 23,63,438 had been issued the commission's photo identity cards till November 30, the last day fixed for issuance of the card to the electors.

It may be recalled that the Election Commission has made the photo identity card mandatory for all the electors in the poll-bound state to excercise their franchise.

The authorities which launched a fortnight-long special drive from November 14 with a view to provide photo identity cards to 439,997 voters left without photo ID, could issue the the same to only 83,769 persons as others did not turn up to the camps set up in all the 13 assembly constituencies for the purpose.

Sources said, following the special drive undertaken as per the direction of the Election Commission, the percentage of photo identity card issued to voters had increased to 86.90 per cent in the district from 83.82 per cent. While it was 95.13 per cent in Dabhoi constituency, the city's three assembly constituencies -- Raopura (83.41 per cent), Vadodara city (82.34) and Sayajiganj (81.22) -- finished at the bottom of the list.

UNI