WUNRN
The Tribune - Chandigarh, India
INDIA-HARYANA STATE - WOMEN OFTEN
NOT ENROLLED AS VOTERS TILL AFTER MARRIAGE
26 March
2014 ....In Haryana State of Northern India, which boasts of unprecedented
economic growth, social backwardness has become more pronounced due to
pervasive gender inequality. In Jind district alone, out of 6.41 lakh women
only 3.83 lakh are enrolled as voters. The number can go up substantially if
parents get their unmarried daughters enrolled as voters. Unmarried women are
treated like goods left in the custody of parents till their rightful owner -
the husband - arrives to claim them. Therefore, all forms of social rights are
postponed or denied till they acquire marital status.
Women do
not have the freedom to move around freely on bikes as their male counterparts
do, dress up as they wish, or even talk to members of the opposite sex.
Marrying a man of their liking may be a far-fetched dream. For many seeing a
polling booth before marriage is also a distant reality. They are not enrolled
as voters because they may migrate to another place after marriage. The fact is
eligible adults cannot be enrolled as voters at more than one place.
But in case of shifting to a new residence either in the same Assembly constituency or in a different one after marriage, a simple form needs to be filled, Form 8A or Form 6 respectively, with proof of new residence. This can be done online or can be sent by post or delivered by hand at the office of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). The Election Commission has simplified the procedures, even making these facilities available online, but it has failed to publicise them to the benefit of people. It should involve district and block-level officials and even schools to help people make use of these simple tools. Technology can enable girls to enrol online as voters, help them exercise their right to vote and make democracy a little more healthy.