‘Ram ne Yadav ko maara’: Software error throws up bizarre names in UP MLC voter rolls

Ramhit Yadav, a common name in Uttar Pradesh, became ‘Ram ne Yadav ko maara (Ram hit Yadav)’ in the state’s Legislative Council electoral rolls after a software error turned a transliteration task into a translation exercise, prompting the Chief Electoral Officer to demand explanations from officials responsible.

The errors were found in 158 of the 14.81 lakh entries in the electoral rolls for the biennial elections to five graduate and six teachers’ constituencies, for which polling is underway on Friday. The entries contained unusual names of voters or their relatives.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa has attributed the discrepancies to a combination of software-related errors and human negligence. Online registration was introduced for enrolment in the electoral rolls for the Legislative Council elections for the first time.

According to the CEO’s office, the software was designed to transliterate names entered in English into Hindi. However, in some cases, it apparently translated the words instead of reproducing the names phonetically. For instance, when the name ‘Ramhit Yadav’ was mistakenly entered as ‘Ram hit Yadav’, the software interpreted it as a sentence and translated it into Hindi as ‘Ram ne Yadav ko maara’.

The CEO’s office said the software-generated errors could have been corrected through an editing facility provided for the purpose. However, such discrepancies remained in cases where the people handling the entries failed to check and correct them.

In another instance, ‘B Com’ was reportedly entered in place of a father’s name, which the CEO’s office described as a human error or negligence. While the number of such entries was small compared with the total electoral roll, the nature of the errors raised questions about the verification process, particularly in an electoral exercise where the accuracy of personal details is essential.

The CEO’s office said the divisional commissioners concerned serve as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) for these electoral rolls, while the district magistrates of the respective districts function as Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs).

These officials have been asked to explain the discrepancies. The CEO’s office has also directed district magistrates to ensure that voters do not face any inconvenience because of the errors. Earlier this week, the CEO’s office had issued a separate clarification stating that no voter would be denied the right to vote on October 23 (polling day) because of minor clerical or printing errors in the electoral rolls.

CEO Rinwa had said that if a voter’s identity could be established through permissible documents or other details recorded in the electoral roll, polling personnel would be required to allow the person to vote despite such discrepancies.

Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh.

Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development. Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India.

She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity. Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling.

By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... Read More