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The Election Commission (EC) is scheduled to hold a crucial meeting next week with top officials from the Union Home Ministry, the Law Ministry, and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to address the contentious issue of linking Aadhaar numbers with voter identity cards, commonly known as Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPICs). This meeting takes place against a backdrop of escalating concerns and allegations from opposition parties, particularly the INDIA bloc, regarding irregularities and potential manipulation within electoral rolls across various states. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been particularly vocal, raising concerns about electors in West Bengal and other states sharing identical EPIC numbers, a situation that has fueled accusations of deliberate voter list manipulation orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in collusion with the EC. These allegations, spearheaded by TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have put significant pressure on the Election Commission to take decisive action to ensure the integrity and fairness of the electoral process.
The impetus for this meeting stems from a 2021 amendment to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which empowered the EC to link Aadhaar numbers with EPICs. Following this amendment, the EC initiated a process in 2022 to collect Aadhaar numbers from electors on a voluntary basis. The stated objective of this exercise was to leverage the unique identification provided by Aadhaar to detect and eliminate duplicate voter registrations, thereby cleaning up the electoral rolls and enhancing their accuracy. However, despite collecting a substantial number of Aadhaar details – reportedly over 66 crore as of January this year – the EC has yet to fully utilize this data in its revisions of the electoral rolls. The Aadhaar-EPIC linking remains non-mandatory, reflecting a cautious approach from the EC, likely due to concerns surrounding privacy and potential disenfranchisement of voters who may not possess Aadhaar cards or are hesitant to share their Aadhaar details.
The upcoming meeting on March 18, bringing together key stakeholders such as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Legislative Department Secretary Rajiv Mani, and UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, is expected to delve into the practical aspects of seeding Aadhaar numbers into voter IDs. This includes addressing technical challenges, ensuring data security and privacy, and developing robust mechanisms to prevent misuse of Aadhaar data. One of the primary goals will be to formulate a comprehensive strategy for utilizing Aadhaar data to identify and eliminate duplicate entries in the electoral rolls, while simultaneously safeguarding the rights and privacy of genuine voters. The EC has acknowledged that some state Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) had inadvertently used the wrong alphanumeric series when issuing EPIC numbers, leading to the duplication issue. While the Commission maintains that identical EPIC numbers do not automatically indicate fake voters, it recognizes the need to rectify this anomaly and has announced plans to issue new EPIC numbers to electors with duplicate numbers within the next three months.
The opposition parties, led by Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha, have been relentless in their demands for a thorough discussion on the alleged manipulation of voter lists. They argue that such concerns have been raised in unison across multiple states, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem. The TMC, in particular, has dismissed the EC's high-level meeting as a mere "face-saving measure," accusing the Commission of belatedly waking up to its constitutional duty to ensure the sanctity of electoral rolls only after sustained pressure from the TMC and its allies. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghosh emphasized that without verified electoral rolls, the prospect of free and fair elections is severely compromised. Her statement reflects the deep-seated mistrust and skepticism surrounding the EC's handling of the voter list issue, particularly from parties that perceive themselves as being unfairly targeted.
The EC's defense rests on the argument that Aadhaar numbers will significantly aid in field inquiries to verify the authenticity of electors and detect duplicate registrations. By cross-referencing Aadhaar data with other demographic information, the EC hopes to create a more accurate and reliable voter database. However, concerns remain about the potential for errors and biases in the Aadhaar database to inadvertently impact the electoral process. Furthermore, the voluntary nature of Aadhaar-EPIC linking raises questions about its effectiveness in achieving complete de-duplication, as individuals intent on fraudulent registration may choose not to provide their Aadhaar details. The long-term success of this initiative hinges on building public trust, ensuring transparency, and implementing robust safeguards to protect voter privacy and prevent disenfranchisement.
In a parliamentary response last February, the Law Ministry clarified that Aadhaar-EPIC linking has not yet commenced and that the submission of Aadhaar numbers with Voter IDs is voluntary, requiring consent from electors via Form 6B. The ministry also stated that there is currently no provision for deleting Aadhaar details if a voter withdraws their consent, raising further questions about data retention policies and individual autonomy. The Supreme Court, in 2023, addressed a challenge to the EC’s Form 6B, which lacked an option for electors to explicitly refuse to provide their Aadhaar number, prompting concerns about implicit coercion. This legal scrutiny underscores the sensitivity surrounding the Aadhaar-EPIC linking process and the need for strict adherence to privacy principles and constitutional rights.
The EC plans to utilize an update to its existing software to carry out the de-duplication process. However, the implementation strategy will vary depending on the proximity of state elections. For states not currently facing elections, the EC plans to issue new EPIC cards to electors with duplicate numbers promptly. However, for states like Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where Assembly elections are scheduled for next year, the issuance of new numbers will be deferred. This selective approach is intended to minimize disruption and confusion during the election period. The EC has also emphasized its ongoing efforts to clean up the electoral rolls, issuing regular instructions to the CEOs to address discrepancies in EPICs. A letter sent to the CEOs in August 2024 reiterated the Commission’s directive to ensure the complete removal of discrepancies in EPICs during the pre-revision activities.
In conclusion, the upcoming meeting between the Election Commission, the Union Home Ministry, the Law Ministry, and the UIDAI represents a critical juncture in the ongoing debate surrounding the Aadhaar-EPIC linking initiative. The success of this endeavor depends on addressing the legitimate concerns raised by opposition parties, civil society organizations, and the judiciary regarding voter privacy, data security, and the potential for disenfranchisement. The Election Commission must demonstrate a clear commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusivity to restore public trust and ensure that the electoral process remains free, fair, and credible. The effective implementation of Aadhaar-EPIC linking, if done responsibly, has the potential to significantly enhance the accuracy and integrity of the electoral rolls. If mishandled, it could further erode public confidence in the democratic process and undermine the fundamental right to vote.
Source: Amid voter list row, on table at key EC huddle next week: Aadhaar-EPIC linking