NEW DELHI: Days after saying that it will resolve the “decades-old” issue of duplication of voter ID cards within three months and amid pressure from opposition parties over the voter list issue, the Election Commission (EC) has invited heads of all political parties for an interaction “to further strengthen electoral processes in accordance with the established law”.
It has also sought suggestions from all national and state parties by April 30 on any unresolved issues.
Meanwhile, TMC leaders met the EC today over the duplicate voter ID-card issue and later told the media that the poll panel had not revealed the exact number of duplicate voter ID cards. They said it should come out with a separate roll.
A statement issued by the EC said it had “invited suggestions from all national and state parties by April 30 on any unresolved issues”.
Earlier, at a conference last week, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had instructed the CEOs, DEOs and EROs of all states and union territories to hold regular interactions with parties, resolve any issues that come up at such meetings strictly within the legal framework and submit an action-taken report to the commission by March 31.
The poll panel’s invitation has come a day after the Opposition, led by the Congress, sought a discussion on the voter list issue in Parliament.
A TMC delegation met the EC over the duplicate voter ID-card issue. Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose, while speaking to the media after the meeting, said the EC “should bring out a separate roll and mention where the deletions and changes have been made”.
“The issue of duplicate cards is extremely serious…All opposition parties have recognised it ever since West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged the issue…,” she said.
“We have already provided solid evidence on duplicate cards. There is credible evidence that Aadhaar cards are being cloned and these are being used for fake voter registration…How will the EC ensure that the cloning of the Aadhaar card will not affect the EPIC card? Transparency and rigorous investigation are necessary. Stonewalling will not work. The EC has to walk the talk because electoral rolls are central to a free and fair poll,” she said.