RANCHI: Khalil Ansari, who never exercised his franchise in his entire life spanning over nine decades, will for the first time cast his vote during 2024-Lok Sabha polls in Jharkhand.Thanks to the Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar, who has directed the officials to initiate the process by including Khalil’s name in the electoral roll and provide a voter ID card to him immediately, to enable him to cast vote in the general elections.Ninety-two year-old Ansari caught Kumar’s attention when the latter was on a surprise visit to the polling stations in the remote and inaccessible areas of Mandro in Sahibganj, where he met the villagers and resolved the issues related to electoral roll. Kumar also took stock of the minimum facilities being provided to the voters at the polling stations in the remote and inaccessible areas.During his visit, the officer came across an elderly physically-challenged Ansari, whose name was missing from the electoral roll. Upon inquiring, he learnt that the nonagenarian migrant from Purnea in Bihar, never had his name in the electoral roll. Kumar then directed the officials to include his name in the electoral roll and make necessary arrangements so that he could participate in the festival of democracy this year.“It was found that Ansari has never exercised his franchise as he does not have any voter ID card. I have ordered the officials to immediately complete the process of including his name in the electoral roll so that he could exercise his franchise during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls,” said the Chief Electoral Officer Kumar.He has also directed the officials to identify other such people and include their name in the electoral roll as no one should be left behind and kept away from the electoral process in the country, he added.Ansari, who can stand only with help of his crutches, told Kumar that he used to live in Purnea district of Bihar, but now shifted to Bidkhori. Due to the absence of his name in the voter list, he could never exercise his franchise, he said. The Chief Electoral Officer also met other senior voters and asked about the minimum facilities and other arrangements available for them.Name was missing on the electoral rollChief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar learnt that the nonagenarian migrant from Purnea in Bihar, never had his name in the electoral roll when on a surprise visit. He then directed the officials to include his name in the electoral roll Migrant from Purnea needs help to walkKhalil Ansari, who can stand only with help of his crutches, revealed that he used to live in Purnea district of Bihar, but now shifted to Bidkhori. Due to the absence of his name in the voter list, he could never exercise his franchise, he said.
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