AP Polls 2019: Giddalur Girl Casts Challenge Vote

Prakasam: As part of the general elections polling that took place on Thursday, a young girl from Giddalur in Prakasam district,cast a Challenge vote. Anitha who belonged to the Nallabanda Bazaar was to cast her vote for the first time. She had gone to the polling booth No 202 in Yadava Bazaar. Upon reaching the booth, she discovered that an unidentified person had already cast the vote in her name and was refused entry. She told the booth officials that she had not cast her vote and even showed her voter ID card.

Anitha got to know about the Challenge vote and Tender vote through Social Media and asserted her voting right. She requested the officials to allow her to use the option of the Challenge vote and cast her vote. The locals appreciated her efforts for exercising her right to vote.

What is a Challenge Vote?

A ‘challenged vote’ refers to a vote by a person whose identity has been challenged by the polling agent. Section 49J of the Rules lays out the procedure for ‘challenged votes’. If the identity of the voter is held to be in doubt by the polling agent, his vote may be ‘challenged’ and the matter taken up with the presiding officer, who will then conduct an inquiry. The ‘challenged’ voter’s name and address is then put in the list of challenged votes in Form 14.

What is a Tender vote?

A ‘tender vote’ can apparently be cast if a voter finds out that someone else has already voted in her/his name.

Section 49P of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 states that “If a person representing himself to be a particular elector seeks to vote after another person has already voted as such elector”, he/she will be given a tendered ballot paper for voting provided he/she has satisfactorily answered questions relating to his/her identity “as the presiding officer may ask”.

Voters should note that registration is mandatory, and that it is not possible to vote unless the respective voter’s name is present in the electoral roll.

If the name of the voter is present in the roll, but he/she does not have a voter ID card, any of the official identity documents such as Aadhaar, Passport, Driving License, PAN card etc. may need to be produced at the time of voting.

Also Read: Hyderabad Witnesses Low Voter Turnout