New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has provided clarification following recent media reports raising concerns about identical EPIC numbers assigned to voters across different states, assuring the public that these instances do not point to duplicate or fraudulent voters.
The ECI explained that while some electors may share identical EPIC numbers, their other details—including demographic information, Assembly Constituency, and polling booth—differ, ensuring no overlap in voter eligibility. The Commission emphasized that each elector is only authorized to vote at their designated polling station within their respective Constituency in their state or Union Territory (UT) where they are registered.
The Commission attributed the issue of identical EPIC numbers to a decentralized and manual mechanism used prior to the migration of electoral rolls to the ERONET platform. This outdated process allowed certain State and UT Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) offices to inadvertently use the same EPIC alphanumeric series, leading to the potential for duplicate EPIC numbers being issued to electors across different Assembly Constituencies in separate states or UTs.
To address these concerns and ensure the accuracy of voter records, the ECI has announced that it will now ensure the issuance of unique EPIC numbers to all registered electors. In cases where duplicate EPIC numbers are identified, the Commission will rectify the issue by assigning a new, unique EPIC number. Additionally, the upgraded ERONET 2.0 platform will be utilized to facilitate and streamline this process.
The Commission’s statement reassures the public that the integrity of the electoral process remains intact and that no voter will be denied their right to vote due to issues with EPIC number duplication.
