'Badly organized': Gauahar Khan voices discontent over voting list discrepancy
Actor and television host Gauahar Khan expressed her frustration when she discovered her name was missing from the voting list during the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Despite holding an Aadhar card, a recognized form of identification in India, Khan was allegedly initially denied her right to vote at a Mumbai polling booth on May 20. She described the situation as "very confusing" and "badly organized" in a video shared on social media.
Khan questioned the purpose of Aadhar card amid voting issues
Khan questioned the effectiveness of Aadhar cards in guaranteeing voting rights. "Why do we have Aadhar cards if we are not considered citizens enough to vote? Your Aadhar card is your identity that you are an Indian citizen and you should be able to vote with that." She also criticized the discrepancies in the voter list, noting that names of people who no longer lived in her building were included, while hers and others with valid IDs were excluded.
'Basic deprivation of rights'
The Bigg Boss 7 winner added, "Why are we being denied our right to vote just because of the survey they've done doesn't have you name? That is the most basic deprivation of your rights." She later added in a post on Instagram, "Some of the people who were incharge were extremely rude, coz there were almost 100 people who were complaining of the same, and requesting to let them vote with aadhar cards at the same time."
Khan made an appeal to ECI
The Ishaqzaade actor also used this opportunity to make an appeal for others who may be impacted in a similar manner. "So, I am making a humble appeal to the Election Commission of India (ECI) or whichever body that makes the decision for the voting process in India, kindly allow us to vote by seeing our Aadhar Card or our passports, that makes so much simpler and easier," she said.
Finally, Khan overame voting hurdles, encouraged others to vote
Despite her initial frustration, Khan was eventually able to cast her vote. Displaying her inked finger as proof of having voted, she wrote on Instagram, "Yes, finally I have done it... I want to tell you no matter how difficult it is... please guys, go and vote." "[My mother] has taught me to be patriotic since childhood. My dad was the son of a freedom fighter. I didn't want my vote to be wasted."
Fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 underway
The fifth phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 took place across 49 parliamentary constituencies in six states and two Union Territories. The Election Commission of India (ECI) reported that over 8.95 crore voters were eligible to vote in this phase, deciding the fate of 695 candidates, per Moneycontrol. Earlier in the day, actors like Akshay Kumar, Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Dharmendra, and Shah Rukh Khan also voted.
