New Delhi, March 18: In an effort to eliminate ineligible voters, including illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to proceed with linking voter ID cards with Aadhaar cards. This decision follows consultations with experts from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshim, convened a meeting on Tuesday with key government officials. The discussions included the Union Home Secretary, Secretary Legislative Department, Secretary MeitY, CEO of UIDAI, and technical experts from the ECI.
Addressing concerns over voting rights, the ECI clarified that while the Aadhaar card serves as proof of identity, it does not determine citizenship. “While, as per Article 326 of the Constitution of India, voting rights can only be given to a citizen of India; an Aadhaar card only establishes the identity of a person. Therefore, it was decided that the linking of EPIC with Aadhaar will be done only as per the provisions of Article 326 of the Constitution, Section 23(4), 23(5) and 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and in line with the Supreme Court judgement in WP(Civil) No. 177/2023,” said a statement.
Following this, technical experts from UIDAI and the ECI will soon begin consultations to implement the decision. The move comes amid recent allegations by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the presence of bogus and duplicate names in the voter lists.
Currently, linking voter rolls with Aadhaar is not legally mandatory. Voters are encouraged to voluntarily submit their Aadhaar details to election officers to verify their identity. The meeting aligns with the ECI’s ongoing efforts to refine electoral processes.
Earlier, the Commission invited national and state political parties to provide recommendations on improving electoral practices. Parties have been given until April 30 to submit inputs concerning any unresolved issues at the levels of Electoral Registration Officers (ERO), District Election Officers (DEO), or Chief Electoral Officers (CEO). The ECI has reached out to political parties individually, seeking feedback and proposing direct discussions with party leaders.
The initiative is part of a broader push to enhance electoral transparency while adhering to legal provisions. In a recent conference, CEC Gyanesh Kumar directed officials across all states and union territories to engage regularly with political parties and address concerns within the existing legal framework. He also instructed them to resolve pending issues and submit an action-taken report by March 31.
Political parties remain among 28 key stakeholders identified by the ECI under the constitutional and statutory framework governing elections.
(With inputs from IANS)