Amid row over EPIC & voter lists, EC invites suggestions from all parties by April 30

Amid doubts raised by some opposition parties on voter lists and electors photo identity cards (EPIC), the Election Commission has invited suggestions from all national and state parties by April 30 on any unresolved issues at the level of electoral registration officer (ERO), district election officer (DEO) or chief electoral officer (CEO).
The initiative to engage with political parties — including through a suggested interaction with their presidents and senior leaders at a mutually convenient time — to allay their concerns and strengthen electoral processes came even as the EC separately heard delegations of parties like BJP, TMC and BJD on Tuesday on issues ranging from bogus voters, duplicate EPIC numbers to voter turnout data.
The BJP delegation claimed that over 13 lakh duplicate voters were added to the electoral roll in West Bengal during TMC’s rule, with “systematic infiltration” of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants into the rolls and 8,415 voters issued the same EPIC numbers. TMC raised concerns regarding duplicate EPIC numbers, and duplicate, shifted and dead voters.
The BJD delegation requested the record of votes polled during simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state last year, which, the EC said, was already shared with candidates’ polling agents in Form 17C.