118-year-old’ Taravati becomes a first-time voter

Lucknow-based Taravati was taken aback when she received her voter ID card that listed her age as 118 years, thereby making her the oldest citizen from Lucknow district to cast a vote in 2014 general elections.
Taravati is an 18-year-old girl. She was excited about casting her vote for the first-time on April 30, however, the major discrepancy in the voter ID card came as a huge setback for her as she thought she wouldn’t be able to vote.
“Every now and then, my friends and brothers joke about my false age. This goof up by the authorities seems funny to them but it inflames my anger,” the young woman said.
What’s appalling is when she approached the authorities asking them to rectify the mistake, they told her that if she wanted to vote, she would have to be treated as an 118-year-old on records as any changes in the card would be possible only after elections.
“I registered a complaint with the block level officer (BLO) on the day of receiving the voter ID card but he asked me to come after the elections, as rectification is not possible at present,” she said.
“Yes I’m aware of the discrepancy in her voter ID card. I sent her details for rectification but haven’t received the revised card yet,” said Dharmesh BLO from Mohanlalganj constituency. The BLO added that Taravati will be able to vote but will be treated as a 118-year-old voter in this elections.
Unfortunately Taravati is not the only one in the club of voters with a false age – that too above hundred years old. At least ten such voters were traced in the records of chief electoral office. It was also found out that names of at least three voters — Mithana, Parma and Thakur Prasad Tivari from Mohanlalganj and Sarojini Nagar constituency – were in the voter’s list even as they had already deceased several years back.