Polls spark outrage over alleged fake IDs and election misconduct
MAPUSA
The election of the new managing committee of the Tivim comunidade, headed by Leo Pereira, was mired in controversy on Sunday amidst allegations of irregularities, fake voter IDs, and procedural lapses.
The new committee, reportedly aligned with the outgoing managing committee, faced backlash for its alleged role in selling over two lakh square meters of comunidade land to a Pune-based private university. Opposing gaunkars (members of the comunidade) accused the election process of being manipulated to ensure the outgoing committee retained influence.
Protests and boycott
The elections, held at Livrament Hall in Tivim, were marked by chaos as a group of gaunkars opposed to the outgoing committee walked out and boycotted the elections. They vowed to challenge the process before the competent authorities. “All objections raised by our group were overruled by the Presiding Officer, Dhiraj Benaulikar,” said one gaunkar, expressing frustration over what they called a “rigged election.”
Exclusion of prominent gaunkars
Three prominent gaunkars, including Peter Sequeira, a former three-term president of the comunidade, were barred from voting. Their names were reportedly struck from the rolls without explanation.
“When I arrived at the hall, I found my name had been crossed out with a pen. The Presiding Officer did not provide any reason for this. Even in a democracy, a criminal has the right to vote,” said Sequeira, who plans to challenge the decision before the administrative tribunal. Two other gaunkars, Douglas Sequeira and Clarence Castellino, faced similar exclusions.
Allegations of Fake IDs
Serious allegations were raised about the integrity of the election process. Opponents claimed that individuals from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were brought in to vote, and the Presiding Officer failed to cross-check voter IDs with the Matricula book, the official registry of gaunkars.
“There is a big fraud happening here,” said Sequeira. “We asked the Administrator of Comunidade North to verify IDs against the Matricula book, but this was ignored. People wrote their names and entered without proper verification.”
Another gaunkar alleged that freshly printed ID cards on plain paper, with photos pasted on them, were accepted as valid identification despite objections. “This is blatant manipulation. We have laminated, official ID cards, but they allowed fraudulent ones,” he said.
Claims of bias
Opponents also alleged that the election was designed to favor the outgoing committee. According to a gaunkar who spoke on condition of anonymity, the process was designed to exclude challengers.
“Instead of allowing open nominations, they created a list of 22 gaunkars who were all aligned with the outgoing committee,” he said.
Requests to postpone the election due to inadequate identification processes were rejected by the presiding officer.
With allegations mounting, the group opposing the newly elected committee has pledged to contest the election results and expose what they describe as a manipulated and fraudulent process.
Newly elected attorney defends poll process
MAPUSA: Amid allegations of irregularities and forged IDs in Tivim comunidade elections, newly elected Attorney Savio Pereira rejected the accusations, asserting that the election process was conducted fairly and in full compliance with the law.
Speaking to the media outside the election hall, Pereira emphasized that the elections were transparent and inclusive. “In the presence of the Presiding Officer, police, and around 400 gaunkars, the elections were held according to the law. There was 100 percent compliance,” he said.
Highlighting the historic nature of the elections, Pereira noted that, for the first time, a gaunkar from outside the village had been elected to the managing committee.
He pointed out that Tivim comunidade’s gaunkars are spread across various states, including Karnataka, Gujarat, and Odisha, underscoring the broad representation in the process.
The newly elected managing committee is headed by Leo Pereira as president, with Savio Pereira serving as attorney and Aloysius taking the position of treasurer.
