New Delhi: In a move that underscores the gravity of electoral integrity in India, Trinamool Congress leaders recently met with the Election Commission to address the pressing issue of duplicate voter ID numbers and alleged Aadhaar card cloning. This development comes on the heels of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee highlighting the threat these irregularities pose to the democratic process. The Election Commission has assured that these concerns will be resolved within three months, a timeline that has sparked skepticism among TMC leaders.
The meeting between the TMC delegation, which included prominent figures like Derek O’Brien and Kalyan Banerjee, and the Election Commission centered around the alarming issue of duplicate EPIC numbers being issued to multiple voters across different states. The TMC has demanded that the EC provide a detailed list of voter deletions, new additions, and modifications with each revised electoral roll to enhance transparency and public scrutiny.
The Election Commission plans to tackle this issue through the active involvement of Booth Level Officers and Electoral Registration Officers. However, concerns persist about the potential for fake voter registrations due to inadequate verification of documents, particularly through online portals. This issue is not isolated to West Bengal; it has been raised by multiple parties across India, highlighting its significance in maintaining electoral integrity.
The TMC has also raised questions about the cloning of Aadhaar cards and how it might impact voter registrations. They have emphasized the need for clarity on whether linking Aadhaar to voter IDs is voluntary or compulsory, as this ambiguity could lead to further discrepancies in the electoral rolls.
