EC says will resolve duplicate voter IDs issue in next 3 months; TMC hits back with ‘finally accepted guilt’ | India News – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission EC on Friday announced that it will resolve the longstanding issue of duplicate Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers within the next three months. In an official statement, the commission acknowledged the presence of multiple voters with the same EPIC numbers due to past discrepancies in the allotment process. This comes as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress raised the issue accusing the poll body of voters list manipulation to favor the BJP.
In an official statement, the EC clarified that despite duplication, all electors linked to the electoral roll of a particular polling station can only vote at that designated location, ensuring no misuse of duplicate IDs. A sample verification of over 100 voters with identical EPIC numbers confirmed that they were genuine electors.
“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 commission stated in its official release.

The poll body said the issue arose due to incorrect series usage when the EPIC system was introduced in the year 2000. Since individual states and union territories managed electoral roll databases independently, errors in numbering went undetected at the national level.
“It is a matter of electoral integrity. We have taken cognizance of the issue and are committed to ensuring a unique national EPIC number for all voters,” said Anuj Chandak, director at the election commission.
To rectify this, the commission said it will ensure a unique national EPIC number for all existing voters with duplicate numbers and for new electors in the future.

EC has finally accepted guilt: TMC

Within minutes of the statement, Mamata’s TMC reacted strongly alleging that the poll body’s remark was in fact admission of the guilt.
“Election Commission of India has finally admitted & accepted their guilt that duplicate EPIC numbers have been allotted to multiple people. This is a scam & answers must be given: TMC’s Saket Gokhale said.
“”All of this has happened because CM Mamata Banerjee nailed the lies of the ECI and exposed this scam. After being in denial, ECI now says it will “fix the issue” in just 3 months. It has also given a very UNCONVINCING explanation that “this duplication of EPIC has happened since the year 2000 due to registration officers using incorrect alphanumeric series,” the TMC wrote on X.