By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
With Karnataka state elections around the corner, all eyes are focussed on whether Congress will retain power or if BJP will take over the reins in another state before the 2019 elections. However, amidst all the focus on parties and political campaigns, one issue that has got mostly side-lined is the issue of missing voters: people who are eligible to vote but find their names missing from the electoral list. This is where the Center for Research and Debates in Development Policy (CRDDP, New Delhi) is trying to step in by ensuring that over Muslims whose names are missing from the voter list are able to enrol as soon as possible.
CRDDP has developed an Android App and a website, which provides details of the exact home in a specified assembly-constituency with the missing voter’s ID. People can get the download link of app by giving a miss call to 8099683683
Speaking with TwoCircles.net, Syed Khalid, COO, CRDDP, says, “We have completed data analysis for three assembly constituencies namely, Shivaji Nagar (Bengaluru), Hubli East and Kolar and found about 18,800 Muslim households in Shivaji Nagar constituency.” Khalid said that CRDDP has estimated that about 13-18 lakh Muslims have their names missing from the list in the state.
Talking about the methodology behind the project, Khalid explained, “CRDDP in Shivaji Nagar constituency identified a total 18,453 Muslim households. Census 2011 data (Household series–HH-01) suggests that only 4.3% of households have a household size of one voter. But our data extracts from Election Commission Electoral Rolls found that 8,795 households have only one registered voter, which was almost 43% of all registered Muslim voters. So, Khalid says, about four months ago, CRDDP started working on it full time. “With the help of volunteers and a bare minimum support staff, we are trying to ensure that we reach all households which have more than one voter and get them registered. This is their fundamental right,” Khalid adds.
Khalid says that one of the major misconceptions is that once the electoral roll is out, one cannot register as a voter. “The truth is that till the last date of nomination, voters can register themselves. Ideally, what we are doing should have been done by the government, but regardless, we are trying to help everyone avail their fundamental right,” he adds.
The way the system works is that each volunteer will be given access to Android App where s/he can take responsibility for servicing 10-20 households in their region. Volunteers during their visits update the contact numbers of the new applicants for the voter ID through the App. CRDDP support team is available on call for real-time support and clarifications. Interested volunteers, please register. This service from CRDDP is free to the registered volunteers. “As on March 18, the app had been downloaded over 7,000 times while there are currently 5,000 people helping CRDDP identify people whose names are missing from the list,” Khalid says.
The app and the methodology can be taken nation-wide and be applied to all communities, Khalid says. “We chose Muslims because, given their names, it is easier to narrow the search parameters. But of course, with the right amount of backend support and proper funding, this project can be useful for every constituency and community,” he adds.
Here’s how you can help
The IT-based research and analysis that identifies missing Muslim voters in each constituency is time-consuming and must be undertaken by the professionals. You can help by either volunteering or support the organisation financially. It cost Rs 4,000 per constituency to generate data, analyse and feed it into the Android App. “CRDDP urges the community leaders, politicians and philanthropists to support this cause to politically empower the Muslims of Karnataka. The sponsor and supporter of this cause will be acknowledged by mentioning her/his name/institution on the website and the Android App against the name of the constituency,” says Khalid. Details of the bank for donation can be seen on the website and the app.