Scientist CNR Rao’s name in SIR ‘discrepancy’ list; officials deny serving notice

Bengaluru Urban District Election Officer Maheshwar Rao said on Wednesday that no notice was issued to Bharat Ratna laureate and eminent scientist Professor CNR Rao in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Malleshwaram Assembly constituency.

Maheshwar Rao’s statement came amid a controversy over Professor Rao’s name being included in a list of voters to whom notices would be served. The 92-year-old’s name features in part 59 of the ‘discrepancy elector’ report of Malleshwaram Assembly constituency uploaded online by the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka.

The reason cited is “self-name mismatch”. “…Rao was enrolled as a voter in Part No. 129, Serial No. 431 of the 76-Malleshwaram Assembly Constituency in the electoral roll of 2002. At that time, his name was recorded as ‘Rama’.

At present, he is registered as a voter in Part No. 59, Serial No. 187 of the 157-Malleshwaram Assembly Constituency, under the name ‘Prof. C. N. Rao M’. Accordingly, his name has also been included in the draft electoral roll,” the statement by Maheshwar Rao said.

After noticing the discrepancy in the name, the booth level officer, “without issuing any notice, has recommended inclusion of his name in the final electoral roll, considering him to be a respected person,” the statement added.

Professor Rao’s office also denied that a notice was issued to him. “We are not aware of any notice being served. We have not received an alert either on the registered mobile number or on his email,” Rao's assistant, Chandrashekar, told The Indian Express.

Professor Rao is among the 43 lakh voters to whom notices have been generated by the Karnataka chief electoral officer. Those who receive notices will have to submit relevant documents to verify their identities before their name can be included in the final electoral roll scheduled to be published in the last week of October.