Election Commission forms 4 teams to probe bogus voter allegations in Madhya Pradesh

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Sunday formed four teams to look into allegation levelled by Congress that lakhs of bogus voters were registered in Madhya Pradesh.

The EC has formed teams consisting of two members each to verify electoral rolls in Narela, Bhojpur, Hoshangabad and Seoni Malwa Assembly constituencies.

The teams will start their probe from Monday and submit their report by June 7.

The EC's move came hours after the Congress submitted a memorandum to the poll panel along with instances of multiple entries of the same voter with different names in a given Assembly constituency as well as those of one voter listed in multiple assembly constituencies.

The Congress alleged that there were close to 60 lakh bogus voters in the state and that it was being done at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) behest.

Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath said they have provided evidence to the EC that there were approximately 60 lakh fake voters in the lists.

Citing figures, Nath questioned: "How is it possible that population has increased by 24 per cent but number of voters has increased by 40 per cent?"

The party has sought the removal of all duplicate entries in the electoral rolls of 230 Assembly constituencies of Madhya Pradesh to conduct free and fair elections.

The terms of reference of the teams formed by the EC include enquiring into each specific issues raised in the complaint; to find out the "alleged fake voters' name, if any"; to find out "how did it happen" and fix the responsibility to initiate appropriate action.