Elections in India are entering the last phase, with polling in Mumbai on Monday. While there was a buzz surrounding celebrities coming out to vote in India’s tinsel town, complaints of celebrities and journalists not being able to vote surfaced. It was overwhelmingly stated that their name was not on the voting list while they have been voting for decades.
Actress Vidya Maladev, famous for her role in Netflix series Mismatched complained about what she said was really “upsetting” as she was not able to vote because she could not find her name in the voting list.
Actress Vidya Malavade shared her experience of voting today.
— Abhay 👔 (@xavvierrrrrr) May 20, 2024
She could not vote because her name was not in the list. More than 1 lakh people from each constituency faced the same situation. Anything to expect from @ECISVEEP ? pic.twitter.com/92Nf9bf1qr
Famous singer and musician Amit Trivedi also posted a video with the caption, “Voting is our constitutional right. Today I was denied that right and I feel helpless.”
Voting is our constitutional right. Today I was denied that right and I feel helpless
— Amit Trivedi (@ItsAmitTrivedi) May 20, 2024
Did this happen to anyone else? How.. and why?? #elections pic.twitter.com/1K8z0XdIFD
Actress and model Gauhar Khan vented out her frustration of being denied the right to vote in a video where she was seen saying, “Why do we have Adhaar Cards (voting cards) when we are not considered citizens enough.”
WATCH | Gauahar Khan Slams Authorities After She Doesn't Find Her Name In Voting List#GauaharKhan #Bollywood #India #News #Elections #Vote #Mumbai @GAUAHAR_KHAN pic.twitter.com/1bQ1UVtJDp
— Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) May 20, 2024
Journalist Rana Ayyub, who is also vocal about intolerance in India towards Muslim community, posted an Instagram story stating that she went with her family to vote and their names were missing from the voters list in Nayi Mumbai area despite the fact that they have been voting in this constituency for the last eighteen years. “Never missed a vote since I turned 18. Frustrating to say the least.”
Producer and Entrepreneur Gayatri Pahlajani posted on X, “After having voted in not one but four general elections, my name has been struck off the voting list.”
After having voted in not one but four general elections, my name has been struck off the voting list. @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI could you help, please?
— Gayatri Pahlajani (@TheChiefSneeze) May 20, 2024
Reports of low voting turnout in many states have emerged in Indian media.
Muslims not able to find their names in the voting list made rounds on social media during the elections in Gujrat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state.
Haroon Khan posted on May 6 that the names of 575 Muslim fisherman in Gujrat were deleted from the voters list. “Is this beginning of a “Hindu Rashtra” by snatching voting rights from Muslims?”, he posted.
575 Muslim fishermen in Gujarat’s Devbhoomi Dwarka district will not be able to vote as their names were deleted from the voter list.
— هارون خان (@iamharunkhan) May 6, 2024
Is this beginning of a "Hindu Rashtra" by snatching voting rights from Muslims? pic.twitter.com/VgMEZkTxTd
Journalist Radhika Bordia posted a video of a Muslim man from UP who was denied the right to cast a vote as his name wasn’t missing from the voting list.
Have been looking at polling around Chharra in the Hathras Lok Sabha seat in UP. Registered voters, many of them Muslims, have found their names missing at a number of polling stations. Here’s one testimony: pic.twitter.com/xkVShS5xzZ
— Radhika Bordia (@radhikabordia) May 7, 2024
Videos of both Muslim women complaining about their voting cards being downplayed as fake and them being dragged by the same police to not allow them to vote also emerged.
UP: Listen to the Muslim women of Kundarki area in Sambhal… Despite having Aadhaar cards, they are not being allowed to vote. The Aadhaar cards of some are being declared fake.#BJP #IndianElections #LokSabhaElection2024 #India #sambhal #Muslim pic.twitter.com/auBAV85ZdT
— ALEX KNIPP (@AlexKnipp6321) May 7, 2024
In India 🇮🇳 So apparently Muslims were heckled and not allowed to vote today.
— CNF (@cnf8344) April 19, 2024
Can a police officer slap these girls?#India #Newsnight #LatestNews #VoteForINDIA #viralvideo #YaliCapkini pic.twitter.com/squwSg55Wf
All of this poses a big question mark over the transparency and effectiveness of the election process in India.