The Trinamool Congress has rejected the Election Commission’s explanations regarding duplicate voter ID numbers, calling it a “cover-up” and pointing to the commission’s own guidelines that state two cards cannot have the same number.
On Monday, the TMC accused the Election Commission of a “scam” in issuing duplicate voter ID card numbers and set a 24-hour deadline for the commission to acknowledge its error.
Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale shared excerpts from the ‘Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers’ to counter the Election Commission’s clarifications on the issue, which was initially raised by TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.
Gokhale stated that the EC’s explanation contradicts its own rules and guidelines, emphasizing that the process of issuing EPIC cards is outlined in the handbook.
He refuted the EC’s claim that identical EPIC numbers were issued to multiple voters due to certain states using the same alphanumeric series, citing the FUSN (Functional Unique Serial Number) system in the handbook that ensures unique numbers for every Assembly constituency.
Furthermore, Gokhale argued that linking voters to their photos through the EPIC number could lead to voting denial if the same number is allotted to different individuals in different states.
He highlighted that the software used for issuing EPIC cards should prevent the allocation of the same number to multiple people, as the EPIC number serves as a permanent unique ID.
Gokhale raised concerns about potential voter suppression and a conspiracy to benefit the BJP, urging the ECI to disclose the number of active EPIC cards and investigate the duplicate Voter ID scam impartially.
The EC attributed the issue of identical EPIC numbers to a decentralized and manual mechanism before shifting to the ERONET platform, but the matter will be raised in the upcoming Parliament session.
The TMC is collaborating with other parties in the INDIA bloc that have expressed concerns about voter lists in their respective states.
Published on March 04, 2025 at 11:54 am IST
