Election Commission of India (ECI) Invites Suggestions from Political Parties on Voter List Concerns

Election Commission of India (ECI): Amid growing concerns from opposition parties regarding voter lists and Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), the Election Commission of India (ECI) has called for suggestions from all national and state political parties. These suggestions, which must be submitted by April 30, are intended to address any unresolved issues at the level of Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), District Election Officer (DEO), or Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

This initiative by the ECI aims to engage with political parties and resolve potential discrepancies in the electoral process. The commission has proposed holding interactions with party presidents and senior leaders at mutually convenient times. This move is part of the Election Commission's efforts to strengthen the electoral process and address concerns raised by political parties.

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The ECI separately met with delegations from parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday. Discussions centered on issues such as bogus voters, duplicate EPIC numbers, and voter turnout data.

The BJP delegation raised alarm about over 13 lakh duplicate voters added to the voter rolls in West Bengal during the Trinamool Congress's rule. They claimed that there was "systematic infiltration" of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants into the electoral rolls. Additionally, they pointed out that 8,415 voters had been issued the same EPIC number.

On the other hand, the TMC delegation raised concerns about duplicate EPIC numbers, as well as the inclusion of duplicate, shifted, and deceased voters on the list.

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The BJD delegation requested access to the record of votes polled during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state last year. The Election Commission of India (ECI) confirmed that this record had already been shared with the candidates' polling agents in Form 17C.

The ECI's ongoing efforts aim to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process, addressing concerns raised by political parties to improve the accuracy and reliability of the voter rolls in India.