Muslim Scholars Urge Voters to Prepare Required Documents and Protect Voting Rights Under SIR Drive
Prominent Ulama in Karnataka warn voters against complacency following the release of draft electoral rolls, advising those issued notices to appear before officials promptly.
Bengaluru: Prominent Muslim scholars in Karnataka have urged voters to take the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls seriously and ensure that their names are retained in the final voter list.
Speaking at a joint press conference at Masjid e Qadriya in Bengaluru, the Ulama advised citizens who receive notices from Booth Level Officers to respond promptly and appear before the concerned Electoral Registration Officers with the required documents.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board General Secretary Maulana Muhammad Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi cautioned voters against assuming that their electoral status is secure simply because their names appear in the draft voter list.
He urged citizens to check their details on the Election Commission website and determine whether they have been asked to undergo verification. He also advised voters to keep all relevant documents ready to avoid delays or complications during the process.
Mujaddidi said maintaining proper electoral records could also prove important when dealing with other official requirements in the future, including passport applications, Aadhaar related matters, ration cards and property transactions.
Jamiat Ulama i Hind Karnataka president Mufti Iftikhar Ahmed Qasmi stressed that the draft electoral roll is provisional and that names may still be removed during the claims and objections period if discrepancies are not addressed.
He appealed to voters whose names are missing from the draft roll to immediately contact their local Booth Level Officers and seek assistance.
Qasmi also welcomed the efforts of community centres, mosques and voluntary organisations that have established free help desks to help citizens with documentation and other formalities.
Maulana Syed Shabbir Ahmed Nadwi highlighted the scale of the verification exercise, stating that around 43.80 lakh voters across Karnataka have received notices because of missing records or other administrative discrepancies.
The scholars urged citizens not to ignore official notices or refuse to accept them from Booth Level Officers. They stressed that timely action and submission of the required documents are important to ensure that every eligible citizen is included in the final electoral roll.
The final voter list is scheduled to be published in October. The Ulama therefore called on voters to complete any required verification well before the process concludes.