EC’s Clarification On Duplicate Voter ID Numbers A Cowl-Up: TMC | India Information
NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday dismissed the Election Fee’s clarifications on duplicate voter ID numbers as a “cover-up” and cited the ballot panel’s personal pointers to say that two playing cards can’t have the identical quantity. The TMC on Monday alleged a “rip-off” in issuing duplicate voter ID card numbers and gave the ballot panel a 24-hour deadline to “settle for its mistake”.
On Tuesday, celebration Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale shared on X excerpts from the ‘Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers’ to counter the ballot panel’s clarifications on the problem, which was first raised by celebration chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “Yesterday, All India Trinamool Congress had given Election Fee of India 24 hours to confess and settle for their blunder on the duplicate voter ID fraud difficulty. Clearly, the ECI, which has been uncovered, desires to brazen it out,” Gokhale stated.
“The ‘clarification’ given by ECI (on Sunday) in response to CM Mamata Banerjee is definitely a cover-up. They’ve admitted there’s one thing incorrect however are refusing to simply accept it. The false ‘clarification’ given by the ECI contradicts their very own guidelines and pointers,” he stated. He stated the method of issuing the EPIC (Digital Electoral Picture Id) playing cards is laid down within the ECI’s ‘Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers’.
Whereas the EC stated that EPIC playing cards with the identical numbers have been issued to a number of voters as a consequence of sure states utilizing the identical “alphanumeric sequence”, Gokhale shared excerpts from the handbook and stated it’s unattainable as Useful Distinctive Serial Numbers (FUSN) are completely different for each Meeting constituency.
“EPIC card numbers are an alphanumeric sequence of three letters and 7 digits. The ECI handbook clearly states that the three letters, referred to as a Useful Distinctive Serial Quantity (FUSN), are completely different for each Meeting constituency,” he stated. “Due to this fact, it’s unattainable for voters in two completely different meeting constituencies (even in the identical state) to have the identical first 3 letters on their EPIC. How is it then that the identical EPIC numbers as voters in West Bengal have been allotted to random individuals in Haryana, Gujarat, and different states?” he stated.
Countering EC’s clarification that even with two individuals having the identical EPIC quantity, they’ll solely vote of their respective constituency the place they’re enrolled, he stated the voter is linked to his photograph by the EPIC quantity. “In photograph electoral rolls, the elector is linked to his photograph by the EPIC quantity. Due to this fact, when a voter in Bengal goes to forged their vote, their photograph on the electoral roll might be completely different if the identical EPIC quantity has been allotted to an individual in one other state.
“This may result in the refusal of voting as a consequence of a photograph mismatch. By allotting the identical EPIC numbers in numerous states, voting will be denied to those that are prone to vote for non-BJP events as a consequence of photograph mismatch,” he stated. He burdened EC guidelines mandate that the software program used for issuing EPIC playing cards retains observe of each used and unused quantity to make sure that the identical EPIC quantity is just not allotted to a number of individuals.
Additionally, EPIC quantity hyperlinks the main points of voters with their photograph and it’s thought-about to be a “everlasting distinctive ID”. “Due to this fact, it’s unattainable that any ‘error’ can result in the identical EPIC numbers being allotted to a number of individuals in numerous states. Additionally, for the reason that EPIC quantity is linked to voter particulars, a reproduction EPIC quantity will result in denial of voting,” he stated.
“This clearly reeks of a conspiracy to conduct voter suppression in favour of the BJP, the place voters in non-BJP areas are being focused by issuing their EPIC numbers to individuals in different states,” he stated. Gokhale stated the matter raises severe questions concerning the actions of the ECI, particularly contemplating that the Election Commissioners are actually appointed by the Narendra Modi authorities by ma ajority on a three-member panel the place two members are the prime minister and Union Residence Minister Amit Shah.
“If ECI is compromised on behalf of BJP, there may be zero risk of elections being free and truthful. ECI should additionally come clear and disclose what number of EPIC playing cards are at present lively and what number of of these bear the identical quantity,” he stated. “The Election Fee of India should come clear on this, and an neutral investigation should be carried out on this duplicate Voter ID rip-off,” he added.
The EC on Sunday stated equivalent EPIC numbers or sequence have been allotted to some electors from completely different states and Union territories as a consequence of a “decentralised and handbook mechanism” being adopted previous to shifting of the electoral roll database of all states to the ERONET (Electoral Roll Administration) platform.
Based on a supply, the problem may also be raised within the upcoming Parliament session, and the TMC can be in contact with a few of the different INDIA bloc events which have raised issues over voters’ lists of their states.
