Context:
Complaints were being made about voter ID numbers (EPICs being the same) for voters in different states. The Election Commission (EC) clarified that the voter’s right would be exercised solely at the polling station designated by him in the state of his enrollment in that electoral roll irrespective of the EPIC number.
Thus, the 10 digit EPIC number is a means of identification, and its exercise beyond the designated constituency would not be permitted.
Comments and Remedial Actions by EC
- It has been committed to removing duplication and ensuring that an EPIC number is issued to an individual voter only once.
- It also accepted that implications of past manual, decentralized systems led to some EPIC duplication across states.
- These discrepancies are expected to be systematically amended with the transition to the ERONET system.
What is ERONET?
- ERONET (Electoral Roll Management System) is an internet based platform made available to the election officials.
- ERONET is a web-based system for Electoral officials, in 14 languages and 11 scripts, to handle all processes pertaining to Form 6/6A/7/8/8A/001.
- It allows registration, migration, and deletion of the names of voters in order to help keep a cleaner and more transparent electoral roll.
- It is likely to rid itself of duplication from the past and represents an attempt to standardize voter data across states and Union Territories.
The Election Commission has further reassured voters that duplications will not come in the way of voting rights, and systematic correction processes are taking their course. However, this giving rise to political slanging matches over election integrity.
Credit: The Hindu
