Election Commission Renamed an Internationally Award-Winning Indian Researcher Twice Within Six Months

TechnoVans ( The Stories of Change Makers ) News: It has come to light that while corresponding with a researcher from Pune who is a scholar and expert in election-related studies regarding electoral administrative reforms, the Election Commission allegedly changed the researcher’s original name and carried out the correspondence under a different name.

In this regard, the researcher has submitted representations to the Hon’ble Chief Election Commissioner, New Delhi. The following points have been mentioned in these communications:

Hon. Chief Election Commissioner of India, New Delhi
Subject:- Request for Inquiry and Appropriate Action Regarding Incorrect Recording of My Name by the Election Commission of India
Ref:- ECI/PGRS email dt. 20/04/2024 & 30/10/2024

Respected,
Please verify ECI/ PGRS cell email dated 20 April 2024 & dt. 30/10/2024 sent by the Election Commission of India (ECI), New Delhi. In this email, the ECI officials mentioned my name as “M. Vasu,” whereas my correct name is “Dr. Tushar Nikalje.” Also in the email dt. 30/10/2024 ECI mentioned my different name.

I request that an inquiry be conducted into this serious error and that appropriate action be taken against the concerned officer(s) and staff responsible for this mistake. In all my correspondence, I have consistently mentioned my name as “Dr. Tushar Nikalje.” To date, I have exchanged approximately 25 communications with the Election Commission of India, New Delhi. In response to these communications, the Commission has generally addressed me correctly as “Dr. Tushar Nikalje.” However, in the email dated 20 April 2024, my name was incorrectly recorded as “M. Vasu.” Further, in a letter issued by the Election Commission of India on 30 October 2024, my different name was mentioned instead of “Dr. Tushar Nikalje.” Thus, on two separate occasions, the Election Commission has recorded entirely different names for the same individual. This is a matter of serious concern.

Whenever errors are detected in the revision of electoral rolls or in the conduct of election-related work, the concerned officials and employees are often subjected to disciplinary action and inquiries. Therefore, I request that a similar inquiry be instituted regarding the officials and employees responsible for the errors in my name and that appropriate action be taken against them.

It has been reported that employees involved in updating the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) list in West Bengal were suspended for errors committed during their duties. Likewise, a female employee in Pune, Maharashtra, was reportedly suspended for remaining absent from election training, and directions for police action were issued against approximately four thousand employees in Navi Mumbai for not attending election training. In view of these precedents, I request that the disciplinary standards applied in my case be examined fairly and consistently.

I would also like to place on record certain information about myself. I am a researcher and scholar of the Indian electoral system and have completed Ph.D. research on the subject of the Indian Election System. Two books authored by me on this subject have been recognized as course material by nine universities. Based on my research, I have received four international awards and five awards from different states in India. In 2018, the Maharashtra State Election Commission appointed me as an election expert on a committee. I have also permitted the Election Commission to use, free of cost, an administrative patent valued at approximately ₹1.5 crore. The implementation of this patent has the potential to save approximately 35 minutes per employee for nearly 5.8 million election personnel and reduce the overall administrative burden of election management.

The issue in the present case is not merely a spelling error. Instead of “Dr. Tushar Nikalje,” the Election Commission corresponded with me using the entirely different name “M. Vasu.”. Such a mistake raises serious concerns regarding record management and official communication. I therefore request that a thorough inquiry be conducted and that appropriate and strict action be taken against those responsible for this lapse.

Kindly note, if there will be three different names of one voter/ person, it is said duplicate or bogus voter.

Your’s faithfully,
Dr. Tushar Nikalje.