Election Commission Scrutinized After 343 Voter IDs Found on Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh

During a river‑cleaning drive on Sunday, 18 September, 343 voter ID cards with Indore addresses were found floating on the Narmada River in Mandleshwar, Khargone district, Madhya Pradesh. Local fisherman Anil Kumar spotted the IDs during his nightly patrol. Congress leaders demanded an FIR and an impartial probe, accusing the Election Commission of facilitating ‘vote theft’.

In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa ordered a detailed audit of Form 6, 7 and 8 applications entered by computer assistants since the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) concluded on 10 April, following irregularities reported in Pilibhit and Azamgarh. The audit will scrutinise entries for duplicate voters and improper login usage, with officials warned of Section 32 action if malpractices surface.

Karnataka logged 2,28,917 Form‑7 objections between 16 June and 22 October, a figure that has drawn scrutiny amid the ongoing SIR. The state CEO’s office cleared 58,475 applications by 23 September and flagged bulk submissions, while Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has urged the Election Commission to investigate the allegations.

The three incidents have reignited a national debate on electoral integrity, with opposition parties demanding a full investigation. The Election Commission has convened a special committee set to meet by 30 September, and the Supreme Court is expected to issue guidance on procedural safeguards in the coming weeks.