Padma Shri awardee Harekala Hajabba, an educationist from Karnataka, recently received an unexpected notice from the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding a discrepancy in his voter records.
The issue arose during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Hajabba’s name was recorded simply as "Hajabba" in the 2002 electoral roll for the Mangaluru (then Ullal) Assembly constituency. However, all his current official identity documents, including his Aadhaar card, ration card, passport, updated voter ID, and his Padma Shri award citation, consistently bear the full name "Harekala Hajabba."
Election Officials Flag "Logical Anomaly"
Booth-level officers, identifying this as a "logical anomaly," served Hajabba a notice on a Monday, instructing him to appear before the Harekala gram panchayat on September 11. He was asked to bring original documents to explain the variation. An anganwadi worker delivered the notice to his residence as part of the ECI’s routine field verification exercise.
Notice Swiftly Withdrawn After Intervention
News of the notice quickly garnered attention, prompting swift action from election officials. Within hours of the news spreading, a team led by the village assistant visited Hajabba’s home. They collected copies of his identity and award documents and promptly withdrew the discrepancy notice.
Officials assured Hajabba that they would examine the records and update the electoral roll accordingly, sparing him the need to appear in person for verification. The village assistant of Harekala gram panchayat explained that the mismatch occurred because his name was initially registered as "Hajabba" and later updated to "Harekala Hajabba," triggering the SIR flag.
Harekala Hajabba: From Orange Vendor to Padma Shri
Harekala Hajabba, approximately 70 years old, rose to prominence for his remarkable dedication to education. As an orange seller in Mangaluru, he diligently saved money to fund the construction of a government primary school in his native village. His profound contribution to promoting accessible education earned him national recognition, culminating in India's fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, in 2020.