Karnataka SIR: Padma Shri Awardee Harekal Hajabba Issued Notice Over Name Mismatch In Electoral Rolls

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Election Commission faced a moment of embarrassment during the ongoing SIR process, when the officials in Mangaluru issued a notice to Padma Shri award winner Harekal Hajabba.

However, after realising that the Booth Level Officer (BLO), who happened to be an Anganawadi worker had issued notice, the Election Commission officials rushed to his residence, collected the documents and rectified the name discrepancy.

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In the 2002 electoral rolls at Mangalore (formerly Ullal) Assembly constituency, Hajabba's name was recorded merely as `Hajabba'. However, in his other documents like Passport, Adha, ration card and the Voter Identity Card issued subsequently, the name was mentioned as Harekala Hajabba. Since there was a mismatch in the name, the Anganawadi worker issued a notice to Hajabba.

Hajabba seemed not offended by the notice and said that the Anganawadi worker had issued him a notice, asking him to appear before him at the Panchayat office on Sep 11. However, when the officials realised that notice was issued to Hajabba, they personally visited his house, collected the documents and rectified the name mismatch.

Later, the officials said that they had instructed the BLOs to resolve such discrepancies involving prominent voters at the initial stages itself, without issuing notices. However, this particular BLO, by oversight, had issued the notice. ``As soon as we came to know about the issue, we contacted Harekal Hajabba and resolved the issue,'' they said.

Hailing from Harekal village in the outskirts of Mangalore, Hajabba eked out a living by selling oranges in Mangalore bus stand, carrying them in a basket on his head. He used to carry the orange basket from bus to bus.

However, Hajabba wanted the other children in his village to get educated. He used to sell oranges till lunch hour and then go to the Education department, requesting officials to sanction a government school to his village. After running from pillar to post for over five years, Hajabba not only got a government primary school, but also a high school in his village.

He was awarded Padma Shri in 2020, which he received from the then President of India Ramnath Kovind. Hajabba used the award money to get one junior college sanctioned to his village.