During the winter session of Parliament, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in the electoral rolls, calling for a detailed discussion on the issue. The Congress party, backed by its INDIA bloc allies, specifically highlighted voter list issues in Maharashtra ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections, including accusations of duplication of Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers and an unexplained addition of nearly 3 million voters between 2019 and 2024.
Similar allegations were echoed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, suggesting widespread manipulation in the voter database.
However, sources in the Election Commission of India (ECI) have strongly refuted these charges, stating that the allegations lack any factual basis. According to EC insiders, during the Special Summary Revision (SSR) conducted and published on January 6-7, 2025, hardly any grievances were formally raised under the Representation of the People (RP) Act.
The SSR process involves scrutinizing and updating the electoral rolls, adding eligible new voters—such as those who have turned 18 or changed constituencies—and removing duplicate or deceased entries. It is a crucial exercise carried out before major elections to ensure fairness and transparency.
Surprisingly, EC data shows that only 89 appeals were submitted in Maharashtra challenging voter roll entries—despite the presence of over 13.8 million Booth Level Agents (BLAs) across India.
“Therefore, there is no option but to accept the Electoral Rolls published after the completion of SSR in Jan 2025 as undisputed by all,” EC sources said.
The Commission also emphasized that Section 24 of the RP Act, 1950, which allows appeals against entries in the electoral roll, was introduced in 1961—well before the birth of the current Chief Election Commissioner.
“If anyone says that Electoral Rolls on which voting has been held is not correct, they have not even cared to follow the election law as proposed by the Government in 1961 and passed by the Parliament in 1961,” the sources added.
The EC has also reiterated that duplication of EPIC numbers does not automatically indicate duplicate or fake voters, and it continues to stand by the robustness of its verification process.
With upcoming elections in Bihar and other states on the horizon, opposition parties are expected to raise this issue further. However, the EC appears determined to hold its ground, backing its stance with data and existing legal frameworks.