UP orders action over voter list errors as Cong flags 16,000 discrepancies
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New Delhi: More than 16,000 voters in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit Sadar constituency may have been affected by alleged electoral roll discrepancies, prompting the state’s election authorities to order action against officials responsible for the revision process.
The controversy surfaced after the Congress claimed that over 13,000 names were modified following publication of the final voter list in April, although the corresponding voter ID and serial numbers remained unchanged. The party also alleged that more than 800 eligible residents were removed, while approximately 2,600 people who did not live in the constituency were included.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said a district inquiry discovered that searches using certain Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers returned information belonging to different voters. He ordered the removal of the electoral registration officer and the operator of the voter registration centre concerned.
Authorities have instructed district election officers throughout the state to scrutinise electoral records in their constituencies and submit findings within two days.
Congress leaders expressed concern that the alleged discrepancies could prevent genuine voters from exercising their franchise and said similar problems might exist in other constituencies.
The issue has gained significance ahead of Uttar Pradesh’s Assembly elections next year. In the 2022 polls, BJP candidate Sanjay Gangwar won Pilibhit Sadar by a margin of fewer than 7,000 votes.
The allegations have added to Opposition criticism of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.