The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered constitution of two teams to enquire into the complaints regarding duplicate names in electoral roll in Madhya Pradesh.

Divisional Commissioners of Bhopal and Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad) divisions will work as Roll Observers for the respective divisions and they
shall direct the District Election Officers and the Electoral Registeration Officers concerned to assist the ECI teams in this enquiry.

The teams will enquire into each of the specific issues raised in the complaint and will assess the status of field verification (house to house survey) related to demographically similar entries in the electoral roll pertaining to these constituencies.

The ECI teams will also assess the progress of the corrective actions, if any, already undertaken by the State Election Machinery in this regard.

The teams have to find out how alleged errors, if any, have crept into the electoral roll. They have to investigate and find out the alleged bogus/fake voters’ name, if any, in the electoral roll. If yes, take necessary steps to delete it following due processes and to find out, how did it happen.

If a deliberate mistake is detected, the responsibility shall be fixed so as to initiate appropriate action.

The teams have to suggest time-bound corrective actions that need to be taken in the field/state level.

ECI team at Bhopal shall also assess the actions already undertaken in the State in respect of purity of electoral roll.

The two teams have been asked to submit their report to the Commission by 7th June 2018.

Congress allege 60 lakh bogus voters

The EC’s move came after the Congress submitted a memorandum to the poll panel along with instances of multiple entries of the same voter with different names in a given Assembly constituency as well as those of one voter listed in multiple assembly constituencies.

The Congress alleged that there were close to 60 lakh bogus voters in the state and that it was being done at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) behest.

Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath said they have provided evidence to the EC that there were approximately 60 lakh fake voters in the lists.

Citing figures, Nath questioned: “How is it possible that population has increased by 24 per cent but number of voters has increased by 40 per cent?”

The party has sought the removal of all duplicate entries in the electoral rolls of 230 Assembly constituencies of Madhya Pradesh to conduct free and fair elections.