Election Commission of India to Eliminate Duplicate Voter IDs in 3 Months
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Synopsis
The Election Commission of India is set to remove duplicate voter IDs within three months while engaging with UIDAI to link voter cards to Aadhaar. They're also enhancing urban voter engagement and offering training for election officials and political representatives.
Key Takeaways
- ECI plans to eliminate duplicate EPIC numbers in three months.
- Discussions with UIDAI for linking voter IDs with Aadhaar.
- New polling stations to improve voter turnout in urban areas.
- Training programs for 1 crore election officials planned.
- Political parties invited to submit suggestions for election processes.
New Delhi, March 20 (NationPress) The Election Commission of India has committed to eliminating duplicate Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers within a span of three months, as stated by an official on Thursday. This plan includes initiating discussions with the UIDAI to connect voter cards with Aadhaar numbers.
The election body has recognized urban disengagement as a significant challenge. To enhance voter turnout in these regions, it intends to establish polling stations within the premises of high-rise buildings and residential colonies, according to the official.
In addition to these initiatives, the ECI is organizing digital training aimed at upgrading the skills of nearly 1 crore election officials. The commission has also scheduled 5,000 meetings with all political parties as part of its efforts to fortify the electoral process over the last month, the official disclosed.
To guarantee the active involvement of political parties in every aspect of the electoral process, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has mandated that regular meetings and interactions be held by all 36 CEOs, 788 DEOs, and 4,123 EROs to address any unresolved issues raised by political parties during the CEO conference held on March 4.
This comprehensive process is expected to be completed nationwide by March 31, 2025, the official affirmed.
The Commission has also proposed training for representatives of political parties and their Booth Level Agents on procedures in accordance with electoral laws, including processes related to claims and objections to the voter list, the statement noted.
Furthermore, the ECI has invited suggestions from political parties regarding the conduct of elections, with a deadline for submissions set for April 30, 2025, it mentioned.
“Political parties have also been invited to meet the Commission in Delhi at a mutually convenient time,” added the official.
In under a month since taking office as the 26th CEC, Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, has set the entire election machinery on a trajectory aimed at increasing participation among all voters and ensuring a positive experience at the polls, the statement highlighted.
Previously, a 10-member delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs approached the ECI regarding issues of bogus voters in West Bengal and raised concerns about the duplicate EPIC numbers reportedly in circulation throughout the country.
The delegation, comprising both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members from the Trinamool Congress, submitted a memorandum to the ECI requesting the specific number of EPIC cards with duplicate numbers currently in use and a breakdown by state.
Approximately 7.5 crore voters in West Bengal are expected to elect 294 new legislators around April-May next year. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC secured 215 seats in the legislature, with 148 being the majority threshold.
Last month, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accused the ECI of withholding electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha election 2024 and the voter list for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, raising concerns about the potential inclusion of bogus voters.
Expressing skepticism regarding alleged discrepancies in the voters’ list for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly election, which was secured by the BJP-led Mahayuti, LoP Gandhi claimed that as many as 39 lakh voters were added to the list in just six months post the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
