The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered legal action against election officials after an inquiry into alleged voter list irregularities in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit Sadar Assembly constituency found that searches using some voters' Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers displayed the details of other voters online.
The electoral registration officer (ERO) and the voter registration centre (VRC) operator in Pilibhit Sadar have been removed from all duties related to voter list preparation, Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said on Wednesday.
The inquiry was initiated after the Congress and the Samajwadi Party raised concerns about alleged discrepancies in the electoral rolls. The Congress claimed that 13,150 voter names had been changed in Pilibhit Sadar between July and September, following the publication of the draft list under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in April.
The party also alleged that 804 voters who were still living in the constituency had been removed from the rolls, while around 2,600 names had been added despite the individuals concerned not residing in the area.
What Did the Congress Allege?
Addressing the media, AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Rajendra Pal Gautam pointed to Pilibhit Sadar, constituency number 127, as an example of alleged discrepancies between the draft and subsequent electoral rolls.
He claimed that Congress workers who verified entries on the ground found that the EPIC and serial numbers matched those in the draft list, but the names linked to those numbers had changed.
“We are not merely making allegations; we are proving them with facts. Just yesterday, regarding the Pilibhit Sadar constituency, we presented data and evidence before the media. Essentially, about 13,500 votes, after the final draft list was published-the names were altered. The EPIC (voter ID) number remained the same, the serial number remained the same, but the name inside was changed. When a person registers to vote, or fills out the necessary forms, the forms are processed and submitted by the BLO (Booth Level Officer). The final draft list is then published, and the person’s name appears on it. The individual feels assured that their name is included—but then, a 'game' was played by Election Commission officials, where the names of over 13,000 people were changed. These individuals, believing they are still registered voters, would have gone to cast their ballots,” ANI quoted Gautam.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also questioned the alleged changes, pointing to their potential significance in the constituency's electoral contest. She said Pilibhit Sadar had around 3.48 lakh voters and that BJP minister Sanjay Gangwar had won the seat by a margin of approximately 6,930 votes.
“Pilibhit Sadar had a total of 348,937 voters. The draft list was released in April, and the process was completed. Then, between July and September, votes were deleted and new voters were added. Neither Form 6 nor Form 7 was being processed, so how was this happening? But the biggest irregularity was that the names of 13,150 voters in a single Assembly constituency were changed while their EPIC numbers remained the same. I am showing these documents to the media from a distance because we do not want to make the EPIC numbers public. The last four digits of one EPIC number are 4746. In the draft list, the name recorded against this number was Mohammad Yusuf, son of Rasitan, aged 33, male. However, when you search for this EPIC number now, the name appears as Hasrat, son of Ramzan Ali, aged 33, male. The age and gender remain the same, but the names of both the voter and the father have been changed,” Shrinate said.
The Congress demanded judicial intervention, adding that it was examining discrepancies in other constituencies and considering legal options.
ECI Orders Statewide Scrutiny Of Electoral Rolls
Following the complaints, the ECI directed the Pilibhit district election officer (DEO) to investigate the matter. According to the preliminary findings, searching for certain voters' EPIC numbers online brought up other individuals' details.
Rinwa said the DEO had been instructed to immediately correct the electoral roll of Pilibhit Sadar and examine voter lists across all Assembly constituencies in Pilibhit district. A detailed report must be submitted within two days.
The CEO also directed all district election officers in Uttar Pradesh to scrutinise electoral rolls in their respective districts and submit reports to his office within two days.
Legal action will be taken against officials found responsible under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Rinwa said. The Pilibhit DEO has also been asked to report on the responsibilities of the assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) associated with the constituency.