(a) the number of Voter`s Identity Cards issued by the Government in various States as
on date, State-wise;
(b) the percentage of electorate provided with Identity Cards by the Election Commission
so far, State-wise and Union Territory-wise;
(c) the total cost incurred thereon; and
(d) the time by which all the voters are likely to be provided with such identity cards?
MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI H.R. BHARDWAJ)
(a) and (b): A Statement showing the status of number of electors issued with Voter Identity
Cards and also the percentage of electors provided with the Identity Cards, as intimated by
the Election Commission of India is laid on the Table of the House.
(c): The Government of India has provisionally released a sum of Rs. 656,66,92,000/- from
the financial years 1994-95 to 2007-08 to State/Union territory Governments as its share of
the expenditure incurred towards `Issuance of Photo Identity Cards to Voters`.
(d): The Election Commission of India has intimated that it has been the endeavour of
the Commission to achieve 100% coverage under the Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPIC)
scheme, and even though the efforts have been constantly made to cover all the electors
under the EPIC scheme, various reasons such as natural calamities, engagement of
administrative machinery, which also attend to works other than election work, apathy of
voters themselves are some of the reasons why progress has been uneven.