Voters in Chennai are encountering significant technical difficulties on the Election Commission of India's (ECI) official website while attempting to submit online applications for address changes, potentially jeopardizing their fundamental right to vote. The issues, which include missing constituency names and system errors, are causing widespread frustration and anxiety among citizens trying to enroll in their new constituencies before the crucial deadline.
Missing Constituencies and System Errors
A primary concern for many users is the unavailability of their existing constituency names in the online Form-8 section, which is essential for initiating an address change. One voter reported that he could not locate the Virugambakkam constituency under Chennai district. Having moved to Pallavaram, he is required by the government to update his address to be enrolled in his new area. However, the missing option in the 'select existing constituency' part has halted his progress. The Virugambakkam constituency is a part of the south Chennai parliamentary seat. The citizen expressed his urgency, stating, "The clock is ticking, and I have to enrol during the one-month objection period after Dec 9. I don't want to lose my vote."
Another voter, K Sekar, faced different technical hurdles. When he attempted to complete his form online, the preview function failed to open multiple times. On the rare occasion it did work, the website displayed an 'error' message and prevented him from submitting the completed application. Sekar did note that the online portal has a neat feature allowing users to choose 'not present' in the 2005 electoral roll, simplifying the process. However, he found the physical hard copy of the form to be confusing, particularly the section requiring details of relatives.
Application Rejections and Data Mismatches
Beyond the website malfunctions, several applicants have had their address change requests outright rejected. A resident of T Nagar, K Suresh Kumar, applied for an address change using Form-8 online, only to have his application rejected. The reason cited was a mismatch between his voter ID and Aadhar details. In his Aadhar card, his name is spelled correctly, but on his voter ID, it appears as one word without a space. Despite having voted in several past elections with the same voter ID, the ECI rejected his application. He now faces the daunting task of initiating a name change in his Aadhar card, unsure of how to fast-track this process before the one-month objection period concludes.
Lack of Clarity and Official Response
A significant point of concern for all applicants is the complete lack of transparency from the ECI regarding the vetting process for these forms. The commission has not clarified how it will handle minor discrepancies such as spelling errors, spacing issues, or mismatches in addresses and door numbers. This ambiguity leaves voters in a state of limbo, unable to correct their applications proactively. Attempts to seek clarification from the state's top election official were unsuccessful, as Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer Archana Patnaik was not available for comment.
These technical and procedural obstacles emerge even as the Election Commission prepares to launch the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative in other regions. For the voters of Chennai, however, the immediate challenge is to navigate a faulty digital system to ensure their democratic franchise is not lost due to glitches beyond their control.
