Duplicity in some electors photo identity card (EPIC) numbers issued in parts the country – recently flagged by TMC – has become a bone of contention, with Trinamool and Congress even alleging a conspiracy to introduce fake voters. TOI takes a deep dive to investigate how duplicate EPIC numbers came about and whether it is possible for two electors with the same EPIC number to vote interchangeably.
What is EPIC?
EPIC, introduced in 1993, is an identification document issued to each elector after he is enrolled in the voter’s list. EPIC is issued based on details included in the photo electoral roll (introduced in 2005) like the elector’s name, photo, name and number of assembly constituency and the the polling booth where an elector is eligible to vote by virtue of being ordinarily resident. Entries on EPIC include the elector’s name, father’s or husband’s name, gender, date of birth, address, assembly constituency number and name. Thus, the elector can only vote in the assembly constituency mentioned on his EPIC card.
Why then the duplicity in EPIC numbers?
According to the Election Commission (EC), the allotment of identical EPIC number of series to some electors from different states or Union Territories was due to the decentralised and manual mechanism which was followed before the electoral roll database was shifted to the ERONET platform in 2017. Chief electoral officers of certain states/UTs possibly used the same EPIC alphanumeric series – either inadvertently or due to lack of due diligence required by EC guidelines- creating a scope for duplicate EPIC numbers being allotted to electors in different assembly constituencies of different states/UTs.
Can two electors having the same EPIC number vote interchangeably?
No. When an elector wants to vote, he usually carries EPIC for identification. However, EPIC is not mandatory for voting. 11 alternative documents – like Aadhaar, PAN no., driving licence, passport etc – are also accepted for voter identification. The key to voting at a given polling booth in a given assembly constituency, is being enrolled in the voters’ list relevant to that polling booth and AC. So, it is the AC, not the EPIC number, which is relevant for eligibility to vote . For instance, a person registered as a voter, say, in a polling booth of Bengal, even if he has the same EPIC number as another voter in a different polling booth or assembly constituency or state/UT, can vote only at his polling booth in Bengal.
Was the duplicity in EPIC numbers raised earlier?
Each year, nationwide electoral roll revision is taken up and draft rolls shared with political parties for filing claims and objections. No voter can be added, deleted or shown as shifted in the rolls, without filling up the relevant statutory form for the purpose. The electoral registration officer (ERO), usually the block development officer appointed by the concerned state/UT govt, approves the requests made through these forms. Parties, being stakeholders in roll updation, can file appeals against additions and deletions okayed by ERO, first with the district election officer and then, the chief electoral officer, whose word is final.
“The parties did not flag the duplicate EPIC numbers during the latest window for filing claims and objections to draft rolls with Jan 1, 2025 as the qualifying date,” an EC official said.
What next?
EC, in a statement Sunday, said it would rectify cases of duplicate EPIC numbers and ensure allotment of unique EPIC number to each registered elector. New guidelines in this regard will be issued soon and ERONET 2.0 platform updated to aid and assist in the process. This may require some time, an EC functionary said while holding out the assurance that duplicity in EPIC number “in no way implies fake voters or undermines one’s right to vote”.