Minta Devi’ at 124? EC Says Data Glitch, Opposition Turns It Into Protest Symbol
New Delhi: A bizarre entry in the voter list — naming a candidate as “124-year-old Minta Devi” — triggered political drama in Parliament on Monday, with Opposition MPs staging a protest wearing shirts emblazoned with the unusual age. The Election Commission (EC) has dismissed the matter as a clerical error, but Opposition leaders insist it raises serious questions about the integrity of electoral rolls.
The protest unfolded during the morning session of the Monsoon Parliament, when MPs from parties including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and Samajwadi Party walked in wearing white shirts bearing the slogan “124-Year-Old Minta Devi.” Many carried placards questioning the accuracy of the voter list and accusing the EC of “negligence” in maintaining electoral records.
Opposition Targets EC Over Voter Roll Credibility
Speaking to reporters outside the House, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said the error was “not a laughing matter” but a “serious lapse” that could point to systemic flaws. “If the EC cannot ensure correct voter data, how can we trust that the elections are being conducted fairly?” he asked.
TMC leader Mahua Moitra also joined the chorus, saying that while a 124-year-old voter might be “a miracle of democracy,” the incident instead reflects “the shoddy state of our electoral systems.”
Election Commission Clarifies: ‘Technical Error’
In a statement, the Election Commission clarified that the mention of Minta Devi’s age as 124 years in the voter list was due to a “technical glitch” during data entry and had since been corrected. The EC also reiterated that such errors do not impact the actual conduct of elections, as multiple verification layers exist to prevent misuse.
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“It is a purely clerical issue, which we have resolved. The voter in question is alive and her correct age is reflected in our updated records,” the statement read.
Political Symbolism Gains Momentum
While the EC urged parties not to politicise the matter, the unusual case quickly gained traction as a symbolic rallying point for the Opposition’s broader criticism of the electoral body’s transparency and independence.
The shirts, which quickly went viral on social media, have become part of a larger Opposition strategy to highlight alleged irregularities in the run-up to upcoming state elections.
Voter List Accuracy Under Scrutiny
The incident has reignited debate over the need for modernising India’s voter registration system. Election experts point out that while occasional data entry errors are inevitable in a database of nearly a billion voters, consistent inaccuracies can erode public trust.
“This is more about perception than one error,” said political analyst Prof. Sanjay Kumar. “If people start to believe that voter rolls are riddled with mistakes, it can undermine the credibility of the entire electoral process.”
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From Parliament Protest to Public Meme
Even as the Opposition’s protest drew sharp criticism from the ruling BJP, the phrase “124-Year-Old Minta Devi” began trending online, spawning memes, jokes, and even mock congratulatory messages for the ‘supercentenarian’.
For now, the EC has closed the matter on its end, but the Opposition has made it clear that they will continue pressing for greater accountability and transparency in the preparation of voter rolls.
