Election Commission to fix duplicate voter ID numbers issue in 3 months
The Election Commission has set a three-month deadline to resolve the decades-long duplicate voter ID issue in an effort to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls and ensure that each voter has only one valid identity.
The poll body’s move comes after it found that some electors had been issued duplicate Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers due to inconsistencies in the allocation process.
The issue dates back to 2000, when EPIC numbers were introduced across states and union territories. Some Electoral Registration Officers did not follow the correct numbering system, leading to duplicate numbers.
A sample enquiry of 100 electors with duplicate numbers confirmed that they were legitimate voters. The poll body has said stated that a voter is linked to a specific polling station and can only vote there, regardless of their EPIC number.
The Election Commission has decided to issue unique national EPIC numbers to voters with duplicates. New voters will also receive distinct numbers to prevent further duplication. The process will be completed within three months.
The Commission said the move would improve transparency and prevent errors in the electoral rolls.