ECI resolves 2-decade-old issue of similar EPIC numbers across India.
Patna, May 13, 2025: In a significant step to ensure cleaner and more accurate voter rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has resolved a 20-year-old legacy issue involving the issuance of similar EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) numbers to genuine electors in different constituencies.
ECI is facing issues since 2005:
The issue originated in 2005 when different Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across states used similar alphanumeric series for EPIC numbers.
This error persisted due to further complications after the 2008 delimitation of constituencies, with some areas continuing to use outdated or incorrect series.
To resolve this, the ECI launched an exhaustive exercise involving all 36 Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), 4123 Assembly Constituencies, and over 10.5 lakh polling stations. The entire electoral database of over 99 crore voters was reviewed.
During the process, a minuscule number of similar EPIC numbers were found roughly one in every four polling stations.
However, field verification confirmed all were genuine voters, residing in different polling stations or constituencies.
These voters have now been issued new EPIC cards with unique numbers.
It would not impact election results:
The ECI clarified that no voter could use a similar EPIC to vote at a different polling station, and hence, electoral outcomes were never impacted.
This move is part of the Commission’s continuous effort to sanitize and update the electoral rolls and strengthen the integrity of India’s electoral system.
EOM.