From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH: Despite the Election Department directive that the EPIC issued in 2007 is valid and legal but all mobile service providers refuse to accept the same on the ground that the same is invalid. The matter came to light after several mobile subscribers approached this scribe with their grievance that mobile service providers were refusing to accept the EPIC issued in 2007 as the ID proof of the consumer. The aggrieved persons were forced to provide alternate proof of their identity and address despite the fact that the Election Commission of India has neither announced for revalidation nor issued any fresh EPIC for the voters who received their EPIC in 2007.
Ri Bhoi Youth Federation 20 Mer Circle president Liander Nongshli expressed concern over the non acceptance of EPIC issued in 2007 as an ID proof by mobile service providers.
Nongshli urged the Election Department to take up the matter seriously and clarify if the EPIC issued in 2007 was valid or not and also to take action against those service providers who refused to entertain the 2007 EPIC as a legal proof of a person’s identity.