The Election Commission (EC) convened a high-level meeting today to finalize its decision to link Voter ID cards (EPIC) with Aadhaar. The move, the Congress alleged, comes in response to its complaints regarding discrepancies in Maharashtra’s electoral rolls between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

While the EC insists the Aadhaar linkage will be voluntary, it revealed that 65 crore voters have already completed the process. The commission emphasized that it would act under Article 326 of the Constitution and relevant Supreme Court rulings to implement this step.

The Congress has urged the EC to ensure no eligible citizen is denied voting rights while also safeguarding voter privacy. Concerns over identity verification in border districts were also raised, prompting the Union Home Ministry to collaborate with the EC on the issue of citizenship verification. The ministry is expected to propose solutions to ensure only genuine voters participate in elections.

In 2018, the Supreme Court upheld the Aadhaar law’s constitutionality but restricted its mandatory use for bank accounts and mobile connections. However, it permitted Aadhaar linking for government subsidies and welfare benefits. With voter IDs, Aadhaar would primarily help eliminate duplicate or fake voter registrations but would not serve as proof of citizenship.

The EC has set a three-month deadline to remove duplicate EPIC numbers using Aadhaar-based de-duplication. The Congress, which had accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s defeat in Maharashtra’s Assembly polls on abnormal voter increases, welcomed the move. It alleged that ghost or duplicate voters influenced the results.

Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, called for the public disclosure of Maharashtra’s 2024 electoral rolls to ensure transparency in additions and deletions. Meanwhile, technical consultations between UIDAI and EC experts are set to begin soon.

The Election Commission (EC) convened a high-level meeting today to finalize its decision to link Voter ID cards (EPIC) with Aadhaar. The move, the Congress alleged, comes in response to its complaints regarding discrepancies in Maharashtra’s electoral rolls between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

While the EC insists the Aadhaar linkage will be voluntary, it revealed that 65 crore voters have already completed the process. The commission emphasized that it would act under Article 326 of the Constitution and relevant Supreme Court rulings to implement this step.

The Congress has urged the EC to ensure no eligible citizen is denied voting rights while also safeguarding voter privacy. Concerns over identity verification in border districts were also raised, prompting the Union Home Ministry to collaborate with the EC on the issue of citizenship verification. The ministry is expected to propose solutions to ensure only genuine voters participate in elections.

In 2018, the Supreme Court upheld the Aadhaar law’s constitutionality but restricted its mandatory use for bank accounts and mobile connections. However, it permitted Aadhaar linking for government subsidies and welfare benefits. With voter IDs, Aadhaar would primarily help eliminate duplicate or fake voter registrations but would not serve as proof of citizenship.

The EC has set a three-month deadline to remove duplicate EPIC numbers using Aadhaar-based de-duplication. The Congress, which had accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s defeat in Maharashtra’s Assembly polls on abnormal voter increases, welcomed the move. It alleged that ghost or duplicate voters influenced the results.

Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, called for the public disclosure of Maharashtra’s 2024 electoral rolls to ensure transparency in additions and deletions. Meanwhile, technical consultations between UIDAI and EC experts are set to begin soon.