Synopsis
A Trinamool Congress delegation questioned the ECI about the issue of duplicate EPIC numbers and bogus voters in West Bengal, seeking clarity on the extent of the problem and the commission's ability to resolve it.Key Takeaways
- Trinamool Congress delegation meets ECI regarding bogus voters.
- Questions posed about the number of duplicate EPIC numbers.
- Concerns raised over potential voter disenfranchisement.
- Demand for transparency on ECI's handling of the issue.
- Allegations of AADHAR card manipulation in voter lists.
Kolkata, March 11 (NationPress) A delegation of ten Trinamool Congress MPs recently engaged with the full-bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the issue of bogus voters in West Bengal. They posed pointed inquiries concerning the alleged existence of duplicate Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers across the nation.
This delegation, comprising members from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, presented a memorandum to the ECI, requesting clarity on the total count of EPIC cards featuring duplicate numbers and a breakdown of these by state.
One significant question raised was whether voters holding duplicate EPIC numbers would ultimately be prevented from participating in elections.
Additionally, the delegation questioned why the commission had kept the matter of duplicate EPIC numbers under wraps until it was brought to light by Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
They also inquired about the practicalities surrounding the ECI’s promise to address the issue of duplicate EPIC numbers within a mere three-month timeframe.
According to Kalyan Banerjee, a four-time Lok Sabha member and senior advocate at the Calcutta High Court, who was part of the delegation, under Rule 28 of the Representation of People Act, each voter is entitled to one unique EPIC number.
“The integrity of the commission hinges on its ability to conduct elections impartially. EPIC cards serve as a source of trust. We raised pertinent questions, but the commission failed to provide any concrete answers,” Banerjee stated.
Furthermore, Kirti Azad, a cricketer-turned-politician and Lok Sabha member from Bardhaman-Durgapur, alleged that approximately 40 lakh voters were added in Maharashtra ahead of the assembly elections.
“One EPIC number is designated for a single voter, not multiple voters. We have received credible information indicating that AADHAR cards are also being duplicated to manipulate the voter lists,” Azad remarked.
Another delegation member, Sagarika Ghosh, a Rajya Sabha member, emphasized that their fundamental query was how the ECI plans to resolve the issue of duplicate EPIC numbers without comprehensive data on the total number of such cards existing nationwide.
