Election Commission Faces Allegations: Addressing Duplicate Voter ID Concerns

Amid concerns of duplicate voter ID numbers, the Election Commission (EC) instructed state poll officials to meet political parties regularly and address issues procedurally. Despite allegations from the Trinamool Congress, the EC maintained the numbers didn't imply fake voters. The EC's conference under Chief Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar emphasizes transparency and statutory duties.

The Election Commission (EC) recently faced allegations from the Trinamool Congress about electors possessing duplicate voter ID numbers. In response, the EC has directed its poll machinery at the state level to engage in regular dialogues with political parties to address these concerns.

At a state officials' conference, the EC clarified that identical voter ID numbers among voters did not necessarily indicate fraudulent activity, emphasizing the identification of differences in demographic and polling details for each voter. Despite this, the TMC dismissed the EC's clarifications, labeling them as a cover-up.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stressed the importance of transparency and legal compliance among all election officials, urging them to be approachable and ensure efficient voter registration. The conference highlighted the need for stakeholder capacity-building across the election process.

(With inputs from agencies.)