Pol parties urge EC to approve ID-cards other than EPIC

Bhopal, Oct 23 (UNI) Different political parties today urged the Election Commission (EC) to approve any identity card other than Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) for the November 25 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, as many voters were yet to be provided with EPIC.

The EC, headed by Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami, is on a two-day tour of this lake city to review the arrangements for the polling in 230 constituencies. The panel interacted with representatives of different political parties in the forenoon, before holding a meeting with senior civil and police officials.

During the meeting, leaders of the Congress, BJP and Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) brought to the Commission's notice the non-distribution of EPIC to many voters figuring in the official electoral rolls.

The EC's directive that only those voters carrying EPIC would be allowed to exercise their right of franchise posed practical problems, the leaders pointed out, adding any other kind of identity cards, like ration card, should be accepted for identifying the electors.

While seeking transfer of officials posted at one place for more than three years, the main opposition Congress alleged that several government hoardings eulogising the BJP government's so-called achievements were still in place and it should be removed forthwith.

It pointed out that several BJP supporters appointed on different public sector undertakings, were using official vehicles for party work and such vehicles should be seized.

More UNI SP SBC SB KP1516