TFP Bureau, Raipur, 7 March 2025: The Election Commission of India, which manages the world’s largest electoral roll with over 99 crore registered electors, has announced that it will resolve the issue of duplicate EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) numbers within the next three months. The issue has persisted for decades due to errors in the allotment of EPIC numbers, primarily caused by the use of incorrect series by some Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across various States and UTs.
The Commission’s move follows a thorough examination of the matter, which revealed that although there were duplicate EPIC numbers, the electors concerned are genuine voters. The issue, dating back to 2000 when the EPIC series was first allotted, was difficult to detect as each State and UT managed their electoral databases independently. However, the Commission is now taking steps to ensure that all electors with duplicate EPIC numbers are issued a unique national EPIC number, a process that will be completed within the next three months.
The annual updation of electoral rolls, which includes the Special Summary Revision (SSR) conducted by the Election Commission every year from October to December, ensures that voter lists remain accurate and up to date. The recently concluded SSR for 2025 saw final rolls being published in January 2025, following a participatory process with contributions from political parties and the public.
Participatory and Transparent Electoral Roll Updation Process
As part of the SSR, the Election Commission follows a rigorous process to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls:
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are appointed at each booth by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).
- Political parties are allowed to appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to monitor and verify the electoral rolls.
- BLAs have the right to raise objections and verify the lists for discrepancies.
- After field verification, BLOs submit their recommendations to the ERO.
- EROs review the electoral details for each elector and make necessary updates.
- The draft electoral rolls are published online and made available to the public and political parties for review.
- Following a one-month period to settle claims and objections, the final rolls are published, which are available on the Election Commission website.
- If any objections remain unresolved, individuals can file appeals with the District Magistrate or the Chief Electoral Officer.
Addressing Duplicate EPIC Numbers
The issue of duplicate EPIC numbers, which had been an unresolved concern, will now be addressed with the goal of assigning a unique EPIC number to all affected electors within the next three months. While electors with duplicate EPIC numbers are confirmed to be genuine voters, the Election Commission is working to rectify this by introducing a uniform and unique national EPIC system to eliminate any future discrepancies.
With this move, the Election Commission aims to enhance the integrity and accuracy of India’s electoral process, ensuring that each elector is uniquely identified in the system. The resolve to address this long-standing issue reflects the Commission’s ongoing efforts to improve the electoral process and make it more transparent and efficient.
