Daltonganj: Applications seeking deletion of voters’ names (Form-7), most belonging to minority communities, have triggered anxiety and protests in Latehar district’s Manika and Latehar assembly constituencies.Deputy election officer Mary Markey said 55 applications had been filed. District election officer and deputy commissioner Sandip Kumar said complaints had been received from Dhankara village and Mahuadanr in Manika constituency, and officials were investigating. “A mere filing of Form 7 does not disenfranchise a voter,” Kumar said, urging residents not to panic.The Mahuadanr SDM has deployed a magistrate for a protest at Shaheed Chowk on Thursday. Ajit Pal Kujur and others, under the banner of Sarvadaliya Manch, called the demonstration against an alleged politically driven attempt to delete names.Under Election Commission rules, Form 7 may be used to seek deletion or object to inclusion on grounds of death, being underage, permanent shifting or absence, duplicate enrolment, or non-Indian citizenship. The applicant must be enrolled in the same constituency and bears the burden of proof.Markey said the applications mostly cited permanent shifting, absence or death. “None alleged that a voter was not an Indian citizen,” Kumar said.Affected voters described the applications as “mala fide, prejudiced and politically motivated”.Kumar said false declarations could attract punishment under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 with up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine, or both.
