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Context:

The Chief Election Commissioner of India has called for a meeting with Union Home Secretary, Legislative Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to explore linking of voter ID with Aadhaar

Background

The Trinamool Congress, power in West Bengal (where elections are coming up in 2026), has raised concern that some voter ID cards, called EPICs (Electoral Photo Identity Cards), have the same numbers but belong to different people in different states, indicating incidents of fake voters.

In February 2015, the Election Commission of India (ECI) started the National Electoral Rolls Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP) to clean up the voter lists by linking them to Aadhaar.

In August 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that Aadhaar could only be required for welfare programs (like food aid) and linking to tax belongings (PAN cards). Since voting wasn’t on that list, the ECI had to stop the NERPAP.

People are still finding duplicate voter IDs, the ECI says these repeats happened because voter lists were made by hand or on old systems before switching to a digital platform called ERONET.

Why is the government linking Aadhaar with Voter ID?

The main goal is to clean up the voter lists by identifying and removing duplicate entries.

By linking the Voter ID with Aadhaar, the election authorities can find and remove these duplicate registrations to make the voting process fairer.

This linkage will prevent fraudulent voting. Since Aadhaar requires biometric authentication (like fingerprints or iris scans), it adds an extra layer of security to confirm a voter's identity.

How to link Aadhaar with Voter ID?

• Online via the Voter Service Portal
• Through the "Voter Helpline" app
• Offline Mode by submitting physical copies of EPIC and Aadhaar card along with a filled Form 6B to the local Electoral Registration Officer's office.

What are the benefits of linking?

• Eliminating Duplicate Entries: Helps in removing multiple registrations for the same person.
• Improved Accuracy: Better verification of a voter's identity.
• Enhanced Security: Aadhaar's biometric features add an extra layer of security against identity theft and fraudulent voting.
• In the future, this linkage could make it easier to modify voter registration information online and even remote voting.

What are the concerns surrounding this linkage?

• Linking the two databases could potentially lead to the misuse of personal data.
• Errors in the Aadhaar database could lead to genuine voters being incorrectly excluded from the voter list.
• Linking could result in the removal of a large number of voters, which raises concerns about eligible voters losing their right to vote.
• The Supreme Court has limited the mandatory use of Aadhaar for certain welfare schemes, and linking it with Voter ID could face legal challenges.

Way Forward

• Enacting comprehensive legislation to protect citizens' personal information.
• Keeping Aadhaar and Voter ID databases up to date so that they are free from inconsistencies and errors.
• Having a voluntary process of Aadhaar linking to Voter ID to honor citizens' autonomy.
• Formulating open rules and control frameworks that help prevent misuse of information and maintain responsibility.

Conclusion

Aadhaar-Voter ID linking aims to stop fake voting and ensure only genuine citizens get to vote, however, data privacy, security, and disenfranchisement concerns must be addressed. 

Must Read Articles:

Voter IDs Linked with Aadhaar

AADHAAR-VOTER ID LINKING

Source:

THE HINDU

https://t.me/+hJqMV1O0se03Njk9