According to the ECI manual, the EPICs consist of an alphanumeric code, of which the first three letters, called the Functional Unique Serial Number (FUSN) code, are unique to every Assembly constituency in India.
Published Mar 04, 2025 | 2:58 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 04, 2025 | 2:58 PM
Election Commission of India (ECI) (Wikimedia Commons)
Synopsis: Responding to the TMC’s allegation of issuing fake identity cards, the Election Commission of India said that the alphanumeric code on some EPICs might have been repeated in different states ahead of the digitisation of records. However, its own manual states that the code will not be duplicated in any scenario.
Contradicting its own guidelines, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said that the alphanumeric code on the Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) are not unique and that some might be repeated in different states/Union Territories (UTs).
In a notification dated Sunday, 2 February, the ECI said: “…it is clarified that while EPIC numbers of some of the electors may be identical, the other details including demographic details, Assembly Constituency and polling booth are different for the electors with the same EPIC number.”
The statement came after the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) party leaders flagged duplicate EPICs in West Bengal. However, TMC leaders pointed out that the claim contradicts the details published in the ECI handbook.
According to the ECI manual, the EPICs consist of an alphanumeric code, of which the first three letters, called the Functional Unique Serial Number (FUSN) code, are unique to every Assembly constituency in India.
Every EPIC is issued under a unique EPIC Number. EPIC Number is an alphanumeric string with 3 alphabetical codes followed by a seven-digit number. While the first 3 alphabetical Codes, called the Functional Unique Serial Number (FUSN) code, is unique for every Assembly Constituency and is provided by the Election Commission, the numeric code that follows the FUSN code is a six digit running serial number followed by one digit checksum making a total of seven digits,” says Manual on Electoral Rolls published on the ECI website.
The ECI claimed that duplicate numbers were issued due to a decentralised and manual mechanism followed before moving the electoral roll database to the ERONET platform.
“The allotment of identical EPIC number/series to some electors from different States/UTs was due to a decentralized and manual mechanism being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all States/UTs to the ERONET platform. This resulted in certain State/UT CEO offices using the same EPIC alphanumeric series and leaving a scope for the possibility of duplicate EPIC numbers being allotted to electors in different Assembly Constituencies in different States/UTs,” it said.
ECI added that it would ensure unique numbers moving forward.
“However, to allay any apprehensions, the Commission has decided to ensure allotment of unique EPIC number to registered electors. Any case of duplicate EPIC number will be rectified by allotting a unique EPIC number. The ERONET 2.0 platform will be updated to aid and assist in this process,” ECI said.
However, the new notification is contradicting the details given in the ECI manual, which says that EPIC number remains the same even in case of change of residence.
“A Unique EPIC Number is allotted to every elector whenever EPIC is issued to an elector for the first time. If replacement EPIC is issued to any elector for any reason, the replacement card will continue to bear the unique number assigned to the elector in the original EPIC, i.e. which was made for the elector for the first time,” the ECI manual said.
“An EPIC once issued to an elector shall remain valid during the lifetime of the elector even if he/she shifts his/her residence,” it added.
Meanwhile, TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale called out the ECI regarding the mismatch on its claims adding that the new notification was a “cover up” and that the agency is refusing to admit wrongdoing.
Terming the developments a scam, he said the ECI should disclose the number of active EPICs and how many of them bear the same number.
“This raises serious questions about the actions and credibility of the ECI especially considering that the Election Commissioners are now appointed by the Modi Govt by majority on a 3- member panel where 2 members are the PM and Amit Shah. If ECI is compromised on behalf of BJP, there is ZERO possibility of elections being free and fair,” he said on X.
“ECI must come clean and disclose how many EPIC cards are currently active and how many of those bear the same number. ECI needs to stop this eyewash and give clear answers on the criminal DUPLICATE VOTER ID SCAM,” he added.
New update on ECI Voter ID FRAUD 👇
Yesterday, @AITCOfficial had given ECI 24 hours to admit and accept their blunder on the duplicate voter ID fraud issue.
Clearly the ECI, which has been exposed, wants to brazen it out.
The “clarification” given by ECI (on a Sunday) in… pic.twitter.com/djnfWodk83
— Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) March 4, 2025
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
