AI-Generated Mistakes in Kolkata Electoral System Cause Voter Distress
Kolkata residents are experiencing unnecessary harassment during electoral hearings. This situation stems from technical errors within the Election Commission's system. The core issue involves artificial intelligence generating significant mistakes in voter records.
Names Transformed into Gibberish
Many electors find their proper names replaced with strange characters. The system shows names as single letters like 'Y' or abbreviations such as 'Ya' and 'Eso'. These errors extend to parents' names listed on voter documents.
This creates immediate mismatches in official records. Voters consequently fall into categories of logical discrepancies. They then receive formal hearing notices demanding explanations for errors they did not create.
Real People Facing Real Problems
Santu Pal, a 51-year-old Howrah resident, discovered his name appeared as 'Ya Pal' in current electoral rolls. His name was correctly recorded in the 2002 voter list. He expressed frustration about the unexplained change.
"The word 'Ya' has no connection to my name or my father's name," Pal stated. "The Election Commission made this error, yet I was marked for a logical discrepancy. My BLO served me a hearing notice for their mistake."
Surname Variations Create Identity Crises
Many Bengali surnames face recording inconsistencies. Names like Ganguly, Mukherjee, Banerjee, and Chatterjee sometimes appear in their traditional forms. These include Mukhopadhyay, Bandyopadhyay, Chattopadhyay, and Gangopadhyay.
Samik Mukherjee from Dum Dum received a hearing call. His father's documents all list him as Ajoy Mukhopadhyay. However, the 2002 electoral roll records him as Ajoy Mukherjee.
"I possess no documents proving Ajoy Mukherjee and Ajoy Mukhopadhyay are the same person," Mukherjee explained. "No official paper shows my father as Ajoy Mukherjee."
More Examples of System Failure
Esha Ghosh from Shyampukur saw her first name changed to 'Eso' in electoral records. She emphasized this was not her fault. Yet the system flagged it as a logical discrepancy requiring resolution.
Sandhya Ray, aged 61, found the code '17-L-24' prefixed before her name. This string does not match any portion of her EPIC number. She described feeling harassed by an error in the Election Commission's own system.
BLOs Call the Process Illogical
A Booth Level Officer from north Kolkata explained the technical origin. The problem began when AI converted PDFs of the 2002 SIR list to CSV format. This conversion introduced numerous errors.
Following Election Registration Officer instructions, BLOs collected corrected documents from affected voters. They attempted to fix errors using the BLO App. However, the Election Commission rejected these corrections.
"The EC instructed us to summon these electors for hearings," the BLO said. "This approach is completely illogical. We are harassing citizens for mistakes in our own system."
The situation highlights how technological implementation without proper safeguards creates public inconvenience. Kolkata voters now bear the burden of proving their identity against flawed AI-generated records.
