Mon Mar 10 03:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Election Commission Addresses Duplicate Voter ID Concerns in West Bengal

**New Delhi, March 10, 2025** – The Election Commission of India (ECI) is addressing concerns raised by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding duplicate Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers appearing on voter rolls. Banerjee alleged that the ruling BJP, with the ECI’s alleged blessing, was manipulating voter lists by assigning identical EPIC numbers to voters in different states.

The ECI acknowledged that duplicate EPIC numbers were issued due to a decentralized, manual system used before the nationwide electoral roll database migrated to the ERONET platform. While some voters may share identical EPIC numbers, the ECI emphasized that other details, such as demographic information, constituency, and polling booth, remain unique. Voters can only cast ballots at their designated polling stations.

The ECI stated it will rectify all duplicate EPIC numbers by assigning unique ones, aided by the updated ERONET 2.0 platform. However, Trinamool Congress, the ruling party in West Bengal, remains unconvinced, alleging a deliberate attempt to suppress votes in non-BJP areas by creating photo mismatches at polling stations. Trinamool MP Saket Gokhale claimed this tactic could disenfranchise voters. The party promised to provide further evidence to support its claims. The ECI maintains its commitment to ensuring fair and transparent elections.

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