New Delhi, March 3: Trinamool Congress (TMC) expressed strong dissatisfaction on Monday over the Election Commission's (EC) response regarding duplicate voter card numbers. The party demanded that the poll panel openly accept the error within 24 hours, warning that failure to do so would lead to further disclosure of sensitive documents.
Addressing the press in New Delhi, Derek O'Brien, the TMC Rajya Sabha Parliamentary Party Leader, accompanied by deputy leader Sagarika Ghose and Lok Sabha MP Kirti Azad, presented evidence highlighting the duplication of Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers. They specifically pointed out that the majority of these discrepancies involved voter cards issued in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
O'Brien emphasized, “We want only residents of a state to vote in that state. Only voters from Bengal should vote in Bengal. But these duplicated EPIC numbers create a situation where genuine voters risk being disenfranchised because their votes will already have been cast by individuals holding identical voter IDs.”
He further alleged that these duplicate voters would be covertly transported from other states to influence electoral outcomes, calling such practices "unacceptable."
Election Commission's Response and TMC's Allegations of an 'Epic Scam'
Reacting to emerging reports of duplicated voter ID numbers across different states, the Election Commission had acknowledged on Sunday that certain electors indeed had identical EPIC numbers. The EC clarified that despite similar ID numbers, other voter details, such as demographic information, assembly constituencies, and polling booths, varied distinctly.The commission explained the duplication resulted from the previous use of a decentralized and manual system before the implementation of the centralized ERONET (Electoral Roll Management) platform.
However, TMC leader Derek O’Brien criticized the EC's explanation, terming the issue an "Epic Scam." He accused the commission of hurriedly issuing a response only after TMC announced plans to publicly address the matter.
Offering "limited appreciation," O'Brien remarked, "I say limited because EC is admitting the error but not accepting the error outright. We humbly urge the EC to fully accept responsibility within the next 24 hours. Failing this, we will release more incriminating documents at 9 am on Tuesday."
TMC leaders have also demanded a comprehensive investigation into the voter ID duplication issue, underscoring the gravity of ensuring fair electoral practices.
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