Election commission takes strict measures against duplicate votes, directs scrutiny in Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: Taking a serious note of enrollment of duplicate votes, the Election Commission of India has directed the district collectors in Andhra Pradesh to closely scrutinize all the new applications and book cases against the applicants/voters under Representation of People Act, 1950 if found they have deliberately made an application for double entry.


The commission made it clear that no person is eligible to be registered as a voter in two places/states under section 17 and 18 of RPA, 1950. In response to a complaint lodged by the YSRCP that large number of people who are registered electors in the neighbouring Telangana, are deliberately enrolling themselves as voters in AP, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena on Friday issued detailed order to the district collectors for verification of such new applications. The EC’s decision is significant in the wake of a flood of applications for entry as new voters in the state particularly from Hyderabad (Telangana).

The CEO prescribed additional guidelines to the district collectors to preclude the potential misuse of related processes and regulations, and to maintain the integrity of the electoral roll. He made it clear that any citizen shall be enrolled as elector at only one place in an assembly constituency.

"Applying for enrolment hiding the previous enrolment by giving false declaration will entail penal action under Section 31 of Representation of People Act, 1950," warned CEO.

He said that form-6 shall only be taken from the first-time applicant for enrolment as elector. While filing Form-6 for fresh enrolment a declaration has to be signed and given to that effect that his/her name is not included in the electoral roll of any other constituency, and if such statement/declaration is false he is liable to be punished under section 31 of the RPA, 1950.

He directed the district collectors to take up field verification for all form 6 applications and focus specifically to ascertain the reason for non-enrolment till now. For all cases where a person is shifting his / her residence, form-8 shall be filed by filling the EPIC number mandatorily. If EPIC number is not mentioned in those cases, the application may be treated as incomplete and further action shall be taken as per the statute. He wanted the collectors to take a declaration from those who filed application for shifting of vote saying that they are aware that they are punishable under section 31 of the RPA, 1950 with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both.

He had also asked the collectors to advise BLOs to scrutinise all the shifting applications by searching their names to identify duplicate vote based on the EPIC number in the ECI website.

Cases against bogus voters

*Final decision by the ERO should be taken only after considering all aspects including supporting documents filed, field verification, remarks of BLO/AERO, objections raised by any elector/BLA if any, personal hearing and additional measures like electoral search option in ECI portal.

*ERO must proceed against those who filed false declarations by filing cases under the Representation of People Act, 1950 and other relevant Acts.

*All additions during SSR, 2024 / continuous updation shall be monitored by the District Election Officer on a regular basis to avoid misuse of provisions.