Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa urges EC to clarify ‘abnormal surge’ in voter numbers
New Delhi: Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to explain the abnormal rise in the number of electors during recent elections, including those held in Maharashtra and Delhi.
In an interview with the New Indian Express, Lavasa said the surge in registered voters has raised valid concerns, particularly from opposition parties, regarding the integrity of the electoral rolls.
“Identifying the voter’s uniqueness is the key because one person is not supposed to have more than one Aadhaar,” Lavasa said, adding, “The EC must explain why the number of electors registered increased abnormally.”
He further noted that it remains unclear how many individuals might be registered in more than one location. “That is one part of the story. The question is how to de-duplicate them if these people were already enrolled in another place and were also enrolled here,” he said.
Pointing to the scale of the issue, Lavasa mentioned that there are already 98 crore registered voters in the country. He said the Election Commission is currently in consultation with political parties and technical departments to arrive at a solution.
According to Lavasa, Aadhaar could be used effectively to detect duplicate entries due to its biometric identification capabilities. However, he was firm that the right to vote should not be contingent upon possessing an Aadhaar card.
“In my view, Aadhaar is the only document that can be used for de-duplication. But the Aadhaar Act does not make having an Aadhaar mandatory. The right to vote is not dependent on having an Aadhaar. That should be separated,” he said.
He clarified that Aadhaar can serve as an administrative tool to clean the electoral rolls, but it must not become a barrier for eligible voters to be included in the list.
Lavasa, who served as Election Commissioner from 2018 to 2020, was known for advocating transparency and electoral reforms during his tenure.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
