Election Commission Addresses Voter Card Duplication Concerns
New Delhi: The Election Commission has issued a statement reassuring that the duplication of electors’ photo identity card (EPIC) numbers across different states or union territories (UTs) does not indicate the existence of fake voters. According to the Commission, a voter will only be able to cast their vote at the designated polling booth stated on their EPIC, which will vary even if the card numbers are the same.
The Commission explained that the same series of numbers may have been inadvertently assigned to different EPICs by separate states or UTs due to past decentralized and manual processes. This was the case before the entire electoral roll database was transferred to the new ERONET platform. They clarified that despite identical EPIC numbers, other details—such as demographic information, assembly constituency, and polling booth—are distinct.
The Election Commission emphasized that every elector can only vote at their assigned polling station based on the constituency where they are registered, regardless of the EPIC number they hold. They acknowledged that the same alphanumeric sequence used by various states could lead to duplicate EPIC numbers allotted to voters in different constituencies, and they are taking steps to rectify this. The Commission plans to implement unique EPIC numbers for all registered voters, and any instance of duplicate EPIC numbers will be corrected to avoid confusion.
This announcement follows concerns raised by a leader from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regarding a voter in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, who reportedly had the same EPIC number as another voter in Didarganj, Uttar Pradesh. Just last week, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee had voiced concerns about "fake" and "outsider" voters in the state.
The Election Commission’s efforts aim to ensure a smooth electoral process and maintain the integrity of the electoral system.
