EC Clarifies: Duplicate EPIC Numbers Do Not Imply Fake Voters”

New Delhi, March 02: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday clarified concerns regarding reports of identical Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers in different states, emphasizing that such cases do not imply duplicate or fake voters.

In response to some social media and media reports, the ECI explained that while some electors may have the same EPIC number, their demographic details, Assembly Constituency, and polling booth assignments remain distinct.

The commission assured that no voter can cast a vote outside their designated polling station, eliminating any risk of duplication in the electoral process.

In an official statement issued on Sunday morning, ECI spokesperson stated that EPIC numbers of some of the electors may be identical, the other details including

demographic details, Assembly Constituency and polling booth are different for the electors with the same EPIC number. “Irrespective of the EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station in their

respective Constituency in their State/UT where they are enrolled in the electoral roll and nowhere else”.

Spokesperson clarified that the allotment of identical EPIC number/series to some electors from different States/UTs was due to a decentralized and manual mechanism being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all States/UTs to the ERONET platform.

The issue arose due to a decentralized and manual system used before the ERONET platform was introduced. “Certain State and UT CEO offices had unknowingly assigned the same EPIC alphanumeric series to electors in different Assembly Constituencies across different states, leading to occasional duplication.

To address this, spokesperson said, the ECI has decided to allot unique EPIC numbers to all registered voters. Any duplicate EPIC number will be corrected, and the ERONET 2.0 platform will be upgraded to assist in ensuring that each voter has a distinct identification number.

The ECI reassured citizens that it remains committed to a transparent and foolproof electoral process, urging voters to refer to official channels for any clarifications.