BLO system unearthed 85 lakh absentee voters in UP

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) Despite the peaceful completion of the seven phase Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami is not fully satisfied.

Talking to UNI here today, Mr Gopalaswami said, " we have learnt many things about the Indian democracy and its election systems.

It has given us an insight into our election system," he added.

He said the reason for the success in conducting a peaceful, free and fair election in UP was mainly attributed to the successful launch of the Block Level Officer (BLO) system.

Despite stiff opposition from various quarters the commission went ahead with its plan and deployed the BLO for the identification of the absentee and dead voters in UP. This resulted in the identification of over 85 lakh voters who were staying some where else for years together but their names were not deleted from the voters electoral rolls for various reasons as it was used by all as the potential source for using false votes.

The commission after identifying this problem issued orders that any person from this category who comes to the polling stations to cast their votes should be photographed to avoid impersonation. Not only this ''it is also mentioned in the rolls where the person is actually residing now. This message has sent a danger signal to all those who were normally involved in the process of false voting.'' He said perhaps for the first time the commission has succeeded in avoiding the formation of Government elected by an absentee voters.

These BLOs were also asked to identify the vulnerable areas/localities/villages/hamlets and the persons involved in terorising the voters. Once the process was completed and every inch of the information well documented in black and white the so called trouble makers were told in very clear terms that if any thing went wrong in their areas they would be dealt with firmly under the law and there will be no escape from that and it worked very well, he added.

Responding to a question that the political parties were criticising the Commission, Mr Gopalaswami said, " they are free to say anything and I have no comment to make against them.'' UNI