Poll watchdog probes BJP CM nominee’s twin voter ID cards

A controversy erupted on Wednesday after it was reported that the Election Commission of India is probing if Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) chief ministerial candidate for Delhi Kiran Bedi has two voter identity cards at separate addresses.

A controversy erupted on Wednesday after it was reported that the Election Commission of India is probing if Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) chief ministerial candidate for Delhi Kiran Bedi has two voter identity cards at separate addresses.

Kiran-Bedi-C-gestures-during-a-road-show-while-heading-to-the-district-collectors-office-to-file-her-nomination-papers-in-New-Delhi-on-Wednesday-AFP-Photo

According to the EC’s record, Bedi was issued separate voter identity cards with addresses in Uday Park and Talkatora Lane, where she was earlier residing. When asked about the issue, Bedi chose not to comment.

A BJP spokesperson said that Bedi has only one Voter ID card and when she moved to her new place, she indicated her earlier Voter ID number in the ‘Form-6’ while applying for a new card.

According to Election Commission of India’s guidelines, a voter can be registered only at one place and registration in more than one place is an offence. Election officials indicated that legal action may be initiated if Bedi has not filed an application for cancelling one of her two cards.

A senior official of the Delhi Electoral office, however, said that Bedi had indeed mentioned her old voter registration number in the Form-6. “Her name appears at voters’ lists at two places at present but the process to delete her name from her earlier address is on.”