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EC Targets Duplicate Voters, Seeks Declaration from Bengal Govt Staff

The Election Commission of India has mandated a declaration from West Bengal's 10 lakh state government employees to confirm they are not duplicate voters enrolled in more than one place. Employees must provide details of their voter status and any changes in a prescribed form, taking responsibility for deleting duplicate entries. The move aims to fix accountability, with the Commission warning of legal action against those providing false information in the declaration. An insider from the Chief Electoral Officer's office stated this step is to ensure no state government employee remains a duplicate voter.

Key Points: EC Seeks Declaration from Bengal Govt Staff on Duplicate Voting

  • EC seeks declaration from state employees
  • Aims to eliminate duplicate voters
  • Mandates details of voter status
  • Legal action for false information
2 min read

SIR in Bengal: EC seeks declaration from state government employees

Election Commission mandates West Bengal government employees to declare they are not duplicate voters, with legal action for false information.

"By asking for this declaration, the Commission wants to fix the accountability of the state government employees - Insider, CEO's Office"

Kolkata, Jan 6

The Election Commission of India has sought a declaration from West Bengal government employees confirming that they are not duplicate voters, that is, voters having their names in the voters' list at two places.

The declaration will have to be given in specific formats provided by the poll panel. At the same time, it has also made it clear that if, in any case, any state government employee has his or her name in two places, it would be his or her responsibility to approach the booth-level officer concerned and get his or her name deleted from one place.

In the prescribed form provided by the commission, every state government employee will have to give details of his or her current status as a voter of West Bengal. In the same form, he or she will also have to declare whether he or she is enrolled as a voter in more than one place or not.

In case the place of voting has been changed for any reason, including a shift of residence, it will also have to be mentioned in the prescribed form. In case of duplicate names, the state government employees will also have to declare whether they had already applied for the deletion of names from one place or not.

A copy of the prescribed form is available with IANS. Currently, the total number of state government employees in West Bengal stands at 10 lakh.

"By asking for this declaration, the Commission wants to fix the accountability of the state government employees so that none of them is a duplicate voter. In case any state government gives wrong information, that will also be in the declaration format with the Commission. In such cases where wrong information is given in the declaration forms, the Commission might take appropriate legal action against the state government employees concerned," said an insider from the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While the intent is good, this creates extra paperwork for 10 lakh employees. Many might have moved for jobs or marriage and their names might be in their hometown. The process to delete is often slow and cumbersome. Hope the EC simplifies it.
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Rohit P
Duplicate voting is a serious issue in our state. This action was long overdue. Every vote should count, and no one should get to vote twice. Strict legal action against those who give wrong info is the only way. Jai Hind!
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Ananya R
My father is a state employee. He says his name is still in our village list from 20 years ago because no one ever removed it when we shifted to Kolkata. This declaration will finally force the system to update records. Good move.
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David E
Interesting to see this level of scrutiny. In my country, voter registration is mostly automatic. This seems like a necessary step to clean up the list, but the onus shouldn't just be on the employee. The EC's database should be able to flag duplicates too.
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Meera T
What about other citizens? Why only target government employees? The EC should run a state-wide campaign asking ALL voters to check and declare. Otherwise it feels like singling out one group. The principle should apply to everyone equally.

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