Official says voter is dead as per list, woman goes away disappointed in Rameswaram

65-year-old Kaliammal shocked to find her name on 'dead persons' list, unable to vote in Rameswaram.

For 65-year-old Kaliammal of Thulasi Baba Math in Rameswaram, it was a shocking response, when the official in the polling station told her that her name appeared in the ‘dead persons’ list and that she cannot exercise her franchise on Friday.

Commotion prevailed for sometime, when her turn came at the Parvatha Varthini Girls Higher Secondary School here. As she displayed her EPIC and the booth slip, the staff and the polling agents were looking at her with curiosity.

When some staff directed her to meet the Presiding Officer, she was in no mood to leave the place and remained in front of the officials. She even asked them as to where she had to affix her signature.

After a senior officer came near her and explained that she cannot vote, the woman came out of the booth. As the news spread, media persons rushed to the polling booth.

The woman said that she was informed about the “error” and that she cannot vote. The officials claimed that the voter’s name figured as dead. Hence, she cannot vote. But when reporters asked if they had any death certificate or any application in which she was declared as dead, they had no answer.

A visibly upset Kaliammal said that when she was alive and healthy, wondered who had spread such a false news that she was no more.