Goa MLA claims over 50 voters transferred from one constituency to another; CEO says will check

Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesai has lodged a complaint with the state’s Chief Electoral Officer regarding the alleged illegal “transfer” of over 50 voters from one assembly constituency to another in South Goa. The Chief Electoral Officer has assured to investigate the claim.

Sardesai, representing the Fatorda constituency, emailed his concerns to the CEO’s office on Friday. He alleged that more than 50 voters from the Curtorim assembly constituency were “unlawfully migrated” to the Fatorda assembly constituency for the years 2022 and 2026, while still retaining their original house numbers.

“More than 50 voters, as detailed in the annexures attached to this representation, belonging to the Curtorim Assembly Constituency have been unlawfully migrated to the electoral rolls of the Fatorda Assembly Constituency while retaining their original house numbers,” Sardesai wrote in his complaint.

Sardesai expressed concerns over the accuracy of electoral databases, adherence to constituency boundaries, and compliance with electoral laws. “The territorial boundaries of an assembly constituency are strictly governed by the statutory delimitation orders and legally operative notifications,” he emphasized.

He called for an urgent investigation into the “unauthorised transfer of voters”, stating this is just the tip of the iceberg. The last delimitation of Goa’s assembly constituencies was completed between 2002 and 2005.

Sardesai sought the immediate deletion of the allegedly shifted voter entries and a state-wide audit to ensure such illegal activities do not occur in other constituencies. Upon receiving the complaint, the Chief Electoral Officer stated they will conduct an inquiry through the District Election Officer.