Election Ambassador Rahul Dravid cannot vote this time: Here's why

While the first draft of voters list was published in January, the final roll was published on March 16.
 Election Ambassador Rahul Dravid cannot vote this time: Here's why
Election Ambassador Rahul Dravid cannot vote this time: Here's why
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Former Indian cricket captain and Bengaluru’s own Rahul Dravid, who was the Karnataka election icon during the 2018 Assembly elections, cannot vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. His name has been deleted from the electorate list.

Rahul Dravid, who changed his house, got his name deleted in the old constituency in Indiranagar. However, his name was not added in the new constituency list before the deadline.

It was during a special drive carried out by the Election Commission that Rahul’s brother Vijay submitted Form 7 (for deletion of names from the list), as the cricketer had then not shifted to his new house in Ashwathnagar in RMV Extension. However, Dravid did not fill Form 6 meant to add his name in the electoral roll from his new place.

Ironically, Dravid is also currently the coach of the Indian U-19 team and has boards and billboards across the state with his face urging people to vote.

How the confusion happened

While the first draft of voters list was published in January, the final roll was published on March 16.

Speaking to TOI, Mathikere sub-division Assistant Electoral Returning Officer Roopa said, “Our officials visited his house twice, but we were not allowed inside. We were informed Dravid is touring abroad and there was no message from him to include his name in the voters’ list.”

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad, who is also the District Election Officer, clarified that while Form 7 meant for deletion can be submitted by family members, Form 6 for inclusion in the electoral rolls can only be submitted by the voter concerned.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer KN Ramesh told TNM, "He had to submit Form 6 before March 16, otherwise nothing can be done. We came to know about this only after we finalised the electoral rolls. Our officials must have visited his home and if he had then informed us that he had got his name deleted from the Indiranagar list, we could have done something.”

Rahul Dravid reportedly came to know about the incident only after March 16 and then contacted the officials concerned.

TOI quoted Basawaraju Magi, the Domlur sub-division Assistant Electoral Returning Officer, as saying, “Rahul Dravid was in Spain, but was eager to vote. Unfortunately, his name got deleted from the Shantinagar Assembly constituency.”

 
 

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