ECI Promises To Resolve Duplicate Voter ID Issue In 3 Months; TMC Claims 'Admission Of Guilt'

The Election Commission of India said it will resolve duplicate voter ID numbers within three months while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged a cover-up.

Amid allegations of a cover-up regarding duplicate voter identity card numbers, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced that it will address the "decades-long" issue within the next three months. In a statement, the poll authority highlighted that India's electoral rolls constitute the largest database of electors globally, with over 99 crore registered voters.  

"As regards the issue of duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers, the Commission has already taken cognisance of the matter. Irrespective of an EPIC number, an elector who is linked to the electoral roll of a particular polling station can cast his vote at that polling station only and nowhere else," the ECI stated.  

The commission said it has decided to resolve the "long-pending issue" following discussions within its technical teams and with state chief electoral officers. It plans to ensure a "unique national EPIC number" for existing electors with duplicate numbers and to implement the system for future voters as well.  

Duplicate EPIC Numbers: TMC MP Saket Gokhale Alleges 'Admission Of Guilt'

The issue was flagged by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which accused the ECI of a cover-up. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale took to X to claim that the ECI has "finally admitted and accepted their guilt" over the matter. "The Election Commission of India (ECI) has finally admitted and accepted their guilt that duplicate EPIC numbers have been allotted to multiple people. All of this has happened because (West Bengal) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nailed the lies of the ECI and exposed this scam," Gokhale wrote.  

He further questioned how an incorrect alphanumeric series was used despite the ECI’s Handbook for Electoral Registration Officers providing clear guidelines. "If the ECI says this has been happening since 2000, why was nothing done for 25 years until Banerjee pointed it out? Why hasn't the ECI still revealed how many duplicate EPICs currently exist? This is the second eyewash in a week being passed off as a 'clarification' by ECI," he alleged.  

In its statement, the ECI explained that since 2000, some Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) failed to use the correct series while allotting EPIC numbers. The poll authority said this issue remained undetected as states and Union Territories were independently managing their electoral roll databases.  

Oppn MPs Demands Discussion In Parliament Over Duplicate Voter ID Numbers

Meanwhile, opposition MPs, including those from the TMC, have submitted multiple notices in both Houses of Parliament demanding a discussion on the issue in the upcoming session, news agency PTI reported a source as informing. "In a collaborative way, multiple notices have been given. Some notices have been signed by more than one MP. The issue should be discussed in Parliament, it is a very serious matter," the PTI source added.  

The first half of the Budget session was held from January 31 to February 13, while the second half is set to begin on Monday and conclude on April 4.