Staff Reporter
Guwahati: As in every election in Assam since 1997, D-voters or doubtful voters will not be able to participate in the electoral process in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, 2024.
According to Election Department sources, the number of such D-voters is 96,987, as per the final photo electoral roll for 2024. The names of the voters are present in the electoral roll, but they are marked with a ‘D’ alongside the entries. According to ECI directives, such D-voters are not allowed to vote in any election, be it the municipal, panchayat, assembly, or Lok Sabha polls.
The concept of D-voters is present only in the state of Assam, after it was introduced by the ECI in 1997. It is present due to the large-scale migration of people from the neighbouring country of Bangladesh, and many of them were later dubbed D-voters after their nationality was questioned in the Foreigners’ Tribunals (FTs).
Altogether, the cases of a total of 2,44,144 people of doubtful origin were referred to the FTs from 1997 to December 31, 2023, to ascertain their nationality. Out of this, a total of 51,505 people were identified as foreigners by the FTs. Until a person is ascertained as Indian, the ‘D’ tag will continue to be marked against their names in the electoral roll.
Moreover, no Electors’ Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is generated against the names marked with a ‘D’ in the rolls.
Also Read: High voter turnout in Assam expected in Lok Sabha poll, 2024 (sentinelassam.com)
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