Page 12 - Election Commission

EC's clarification on duplicate voter ID numbers a cover-up: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday dismissed the Election Commission's clarifications on duplicate voter ID numbers as a "cover-up" and cited the poll panel's own guidelines to assert that two cards cannot have the same number. The TMC on Monday alleged a "scam" in issuing duplicate voter ID card numbers and gave the poll panel a 24-hour deadline to "accept its mistake". On Tuesday, party Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale shared on X excerpts from the 'Handbook For Electoral Registration Officers' to counter the poll panel's clarifications on the issue, which was first raised by party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "Yesterday, All India Trinamool Congress had given Election Commission of India 24 hours to admit and accept their blunder on the duplicate voter ID fraud issue. Clearly, the ECI, which has been exposed, wants to brazen it out," Gokhale said. "The 'clarification' given by ECI (on Sunday) in response to CM Mamata Banerjee is actually a cover-up. They have

ECI clarifies same Electors Photo ID number does not indicate fake voters

The ECI's clarification comes after concerns were raised on social media and in media reports about electors in different states having identical EPIC numbers

Duplication of voter card numbers does not indicate fake voters: EC

Amid reports flagging issuance of identical voter card numbers to electors in two different states, the Election Commission on Sunday said duplicate numbers do not necessarily imply fake voters. It also said that while elector photo identity card (EPIC) numbers of some of the voters "may be identical", the other details including demographic details, assembly constituency and polling booth are different. "Irrespective of the EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station in their respective constituency in their state or union territory where they are enrolled in the electoral roll and nowhere else," the poll panel said. It explained that identical EPIC numbers or series were allotted to some electors from different states and union territories due to a "decentralised and manual mechanism" being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all states to the ERONET platform. This resulted in certain state chief electoral officers us

TMC accuses EC, BJP of conspiring to include outsiders names in voter list

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday accused a section of Election Commission (EC) officials of conspiring with the BJP to add names of outsiders to the voter list in various assembly segments of West Bengal to benefit the saffron party. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh told reporters that a section of EC officials are incorporating names without proper physical verification, particularly in the border areas of the state. He said stopping infiltration is the responsibility of the Border Security Force (BSF), and any reports of unauthorised outsiders being added to the voter list should be handled by the Centre, as it controls the BSF and "remote controls" the EC, which has apparently relaxed the verification process. Ghosh, who was referring to reports about alleged rise in the number of electors in the voter list in Champahati area under Baruipur assembly of South 24 Parganas district, said, "If that is the situation, the credit goes to the local administration and police for

New CEC Gyanesh Kumar to oversee 22 state polls before 2029 retirement

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court (SC) said it would take up the pleas against the appointment of the CEC and election commissioners under the 2023 law on February 19 as a "priority"

Jharkhand lone outlier as youth voter share declines, shows ECI data

Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Sikkim, West Bengal, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh witnessed some of the sharpest declines of young electors

SC to hear pleas challenging new law for CEC, EC appointments on Feb 19

The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed February 19 to hear pleas against the appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners under the 2023 law saying if anything happens in the interregnum, the consequences are bound to follow. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh was told by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for an NGO, that earlier the pleas were scheduled to be heard on Wednesday but now they have been listed for hearing on February 19. Bhushan said the urgency in the matter is that Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is scheduled to superannuate on February 18 and the government may appoint the new CEC under the 2023 law, which is under challenge. The bench said, "We are fixing the matter for hearing on February 19. If anything happens in the interregnum, then the consequences are bound to follow." Bhushan, appearing for NGO 'Association for Democratic Reforms', said the apex court registry has informed them that as Justice Kant wa

AAP vs EC on Form 17C: Kejriwal launches website for 'voting transparency'

AAP and election commission clash over Form 17C transparency on election eve. What is Form 17C

'Will reply with facts': EC after Rahul Gandhi's Maharashtra voters claim

Rahul Gandhi claimed that a total of 39 lakh voters were added between Lok Sabha and state assembly elections

Delhi Assembly Election Highlights: Voting concludes; 57.7% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm

Delhi Assembly elections 2025 voting updates: Polling day concluded with an unimpressive voter turnout. Results will be declared on Feb 8

Delhi Assembly elections: EC bans exit polls before 6:30 pm on February 5

displaying any election matter, including results of any opinion poll or any other poll survey, in any electronic media would be prohibited during the 48-hour period

Election rules change row: SC orders EC to preserve video clips of polling

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of India to preserve video clips of the polling during the pendency of the pleas against the decision to increase the maximum number of voters per polling station from 1,200 to 1,500. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar passed the order the counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI) sought time to respond to the PIL filed by one Indu Prakash Singh. Singh has challenged the panel's communications in August 2024 for increasing the number of voters per polling stations in each constituency. "The counsel appearing for respondent number 1 prays for further time to file affidavit. Let the affidavit be filed within three weeks from today. We deem it appropriate to direct respondent no 1 to maintain the CCTV recordings as they were doing earlier," the bench said. The top court on January 15 sought responses from the Centre and the poll panel on Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's

Yamuna poison row: ECI to investigate entire matter, says Sanjay Singh

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal will visit the Election Commission office here on Friday to furnish his reply to the poll body over its notice to him on his "poison mixed" in Yamuna water remark. Kejriwal, who will be accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, will visit the EC office at 11 am, the party said. Kejriwal on Thursday accused the EC and its chief election commissioner of indulging in politics over his statement and claimed that Yamuna water supplied from Haryana to Delhi has high levels of ammonia content. The EC served him two notices seeking reply over his allegation that the BJP government mixed "poison" in Yamuna water for Delhi attempting a "genocide" in the city. Kejriwal, who is contesting the Delhi polls from the New Delhi seat, was asked to share details of engineers, location and methodology of detecting the "poison" by Delhi Jal Board staff by Friday 11 am, failing which the Commission will be free to take appropriate ..

Public duty to highlight toxicity: Kejriwal to EC on Yamuna poison remark

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday responded to the Election Commission notice over his claim that Haryana government was "mixing poison" in Yamuna, and said raw water received from the state recently has been "highly contaminated and extremely poisonous" for human health. In his reply, the former Delhi chief minister also said his remarks were made in context of an "urgent public health crisis" over drinking water quality in the city. In the 14-page reply to the Election Commission, he said the "alleged statements" attributed to him were made as his public duty to highlight the "severe toxicity and contamination" of raw water received from the BJP-ruled state. Following a complaint filed by the BJP over the matter, the Election Commission issued the notice to Kejriwal on Tuesday, giving him time till Wednesday 8 pm to furnish his reply. Kejriwal also said the ammonia level in raw water received from Haryana was so "extreme" that water treatment plants in Delhi are unable to ..

Why can't social media platforms block or label fakes, asks CEC Rajiv Kumar

He said election management bodies must devise and adopt a framework to manage these challenges

Delhi Police blocking AAP complaints against BJP: Atishi writes to EC

Delhi elections 2025: AAP alleges police collusion in intimidation case, calls for transfers of accused officials

EC used power of technology to strengthen people's power, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Election Commission on Sunday, saying it has used the power of technology to strengthen people's power and also shown commitment to a fair polling process. Modi's praise for the poll body in his monthly Mann ki Baat broadcast came ahead of its foundation day on January 25, observed as the National Voters' Day, and amid frequent criticism from the opposition for its alleged pro-BJP bias. The EC has modernised and strengthened the election process from time to time, Modi asserted. "It has used power of technology to strengthen people's power," he said, asking people to participate in the polling process in large numbers to be part of democratic process and empowering it. Opposition parties have increasingly raised questions on the integrity of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and Modi's remarks can be seen as an endorsement of the EVMs. The prime minister said doubts were cast on India's viability as a democracy after it became independent,

ECI urges political parties for responsible use of AI in campaigning

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has consistently cautioned against the potential of AI and deep fakes

EC approves transfer of AAP candidate Ojha's voter ID to Delhi: Kejriwal

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has approved the transfer of AAP leader Awadh Ojha's name from the voter rolls in Greater Noida to Delhi, enabling him to file his nomination from Patparganj seat, party chief Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday. The development came after a delegation of AAP, led by Kejriwal, met ECI officials to address the issue. "The good news is that Awadh Ojha's vote will be shifted, and the commission has issued an order to transfer his vote. He will be able to file the nomination," Kejriwal said. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal alleged irregularities in the electoral process, claiming that Ojha had filed Form 8 to transfer his vote on January 7, ?the official deadline. He also accused the Delhi chief electoral officer of unlawfully advancing the deadline to January 6. Kejriwal said the move was an attempt to "deliberately debar" Ojha from contesting the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections, saying it was against the law. The former Delhi chief minister also m

MP, Karnataka, Maharashtra among states seeing higher women voter turnout

Women-centric schemes fuel 18 mn surge in female voter turnout