TIRUPATI: The integrity of electoral process has come under scrutiny with reports indicating a staggering 38,493 duplicate or double entry votes in Tirupati Assembly constituency.
Arani Srinivasulu, tripartite alliance candidate for Tirupati Assembly constituency, submitted a representation to Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena, reiterating the plea to remove the double entries in electoral rolls.
An opposition study is said to have revealed 23,540 duplicate entries and 16,389 fake voters among the total electorate of 2,49,587 in Tirupati Assembly constituency. For instance, GV Murugesh Kumar (39) is said to have two Elector Photo Identification Cards (AYM4295549 and AYM4087433), one at the polling booth in Old Maternity Hospital Road and the other at Sarojini Devi Road.
It was alleged that a significant number of EPICs were downloaded through unauthorised means, using the Returning Officer’s login credentials during the Tirupati Lok Sabha byelection in 2021. Following a complaint filed by the then BJP candidate and former bureaucrat K Ratna Prabha on April 17, 2021, the Election Commission of India initiated an investigation into the matter. Furthermore, State BJP president D Purandeswari lodged a complaint in East Police station in Tirupati city on the issue and a case was registered on January 7, 2024.
The ECI took decisive action, suspending the then Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Tirupati PS Girisha (Returning Officer), and several other officials involved in the case. Even five police personnel were also suspended in connection with the electoral roll irregularities. However, there is widespread concern among political parties that the duplicate entries in electoral rolls have remained unaddressed.
“Around 35,000 voters are found to be either impersonated or non-existent or bogus or duplicate or fake in Tirupati. The ECI should identify and delete the bogus or duplicate or fake votes from the rolls after verification. There is a need to allow two of our party workers to accompany the revenue officials in the process of verification of voters,” said Srinivasulu. “I have requested the ECI to postpone election to Tirupati seat until proper action is taken on bogus votes,” he added.
“Not all downloaded EPICs exhibit double entries. The final refinement of the electoral rolls is underway and will be completed by April 25,” said an official, while responding to the allegation of large scale bogus votes in Tirupati.