The Election Commission of India (ECI) has refuted claims of voter roll manipulation, clarifying that duplicate Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers do not indicate “fake or duplicate voters.” The statement comes after concerns were raised on social media and by opposition leaders regarding identical EPIC numbers assigned to voters in different states.
Clarification on EPIC Number Duplication
In a statement issued on Sunday, the ECI explained that the duplication of EPIC numbers is a result of different states using the same alphanumeric series before the adoption of a centralised system. The Commission assured that while some electors may have identical EPIC numbers, their demographic details, Assembly Constituency, and polling booth remain unique.
“The EPIC number alone does not determine a voter’s eligibility. Every voter can cast a ballot only at their designated polling station in their respective constituency,” the ECI clarified, dismissing concerns of voter fraud.
Steps to Address EPIC Number Duplication
The ECI acknowledged that a previous decentralised system allowed different State/UT CEO offices to issue similar EPIC numbers, leading to duplication across states. To prevent further confusion, the Commission has decided to assign unique EPIC numbers to all voters and enhance the ERONET 2.0 platform to streamline the electoral roll management process.
“Any case of duplicate EPIC numbers will be rectified by allotting a unique identifier. The ERONET 2.0 platform will be upgraded to facilitate this process,” the ECI assured.
Political Controversy Over Voter Roll Allegations
The clarification follows accusations from opposition parties alleging voter roll tampering. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently claimed that additional voters were added to Maharashtra’s electoral rolls ahead of the assembly elections to manipulate results. Similarly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the ruling government of including names from Haryana and Gujarat in Bengal’s voter list under identical EPIC numbers.
Despite these allegations, the ECI has reiterated its commitment to maintaining a fair and transparent electoral process, assuring the public that necessary measures are being taken to rectify past inconsistencies.
