NEW DELHI: A day after Indian shuttler Jwala Gutta took on Twitter and said that she failed to cast her vote in the election claiming that her name had disappeared from the voter's list, Telangana's Chief Electoral Officer revealed that Gutta’s name has been missing from electoral roll since 2016. To news agency ANI , Telangana's Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar told, "I do empathise with her. Actually, her name has been missing from electoral roll since 2016. So, in 2016, 2017, 2018, the inclusion was not there. We will rectify that situation."

Earlier on Friday, as the voting kick-started in Telangana yesterday, on Twitter, Gutta wrote, “Surprised to see my name disappear from the voting list after checking online!!”.  She further added, “How’s the election fair...when names r mysteriously disappearing from the list!!”


She sought to know why her name was deleted as she has been residing at the same residence for the past 12 years. If the names are deleted, the concerned persons should definitely be informed, she said. Gutta said her mother was, however, able to vote. Polling was underway in the 119 Assembly constituencies in the state amid elaborate arrangements.

The assembly polls in Telangana were originally scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections next year, but the House was dissolved on September 6 as per a recommendation of the state cabinet. It is to be seen if TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's gamble to opt for early elections pays off.

The Congress has stitched together the 'Prajakutami' (People's Front) along with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), to take on the ruling TRS. The TRS, seeking a second term in office, is going alone, as also the BJP. While KCR was without doubt the star campaigner for the TRS, the Congress and the BJP fielded their bigwigs for the campaign.