To ensure fair and transparent elections, the Election Commission is taking steps to address irregularities in voter lists.
To prevent fake voters and duplicate entries, the Commission is considering linking Voter ID (EPIC) with Aadhaar. This would help identify individuals registered multiple times at different locations.
The Commission is holding an important meeting today, which will involve the Union Home Secretary, the Secretary of the Legislative Department, and the CEO of UIDAI.
If this proposal is approved, future elections will become more transparent, reducing the chances of rigging and fraud in voter lists.
Key Meeting and Future Decision
On March 18, the Election Commission will hold a crucial meeting to discuss the legal and technical aspects of linking Voter IDs with Aadhaar.
The meeting will be attended by key officials including the Union Home Secretary, Secretary of the Legislative Department, and the CEO of UIDAI.
This meeting has gained significance, especially due to concerns over duplicate voter IDs in West Bengal.
Banning Fake Voters
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that linking Voter IDs with Aadhaar would make it easier to identify and remove fake voters from the list.
Political parties like Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SCP), and BJD have raised concerns about the same EPIC number being issued to different voters.
The Commission acknowledged that in some cases, the same voter ID number was mistakenly assigned twice due to technical issues but clarified that this was not considered fraud. Now, strict measures are being put in place to resolve this issue.
Will Linking Voter ID with Aadhaar Be Mandatory?
In 2023, following a PIL in the Supreme Court, the Election Commission stated that linking Aadhaar with Voter IDs was optional.
However, the Commission is now exploring legal and technical options to potentially make this linking mandatory, similar to the requirement for linking Aadhaar with PAN cards.
Part of the Election Commission’s Reform Plans
The Election Commission has long supported linking Aadhaar with Voter IDs. In 2017, the Commission even petitioned the Supreme Court for permission to do so.
The Commission believes this step will improve the accuracy and transparency of the voter list.
Additionally, it will aid in other electoral reforms, including advance voting, remote voting for domestic migrants, and strengthening the electoral process.
Removing Duplicate Voters in Three Months
The Election Commission has also announced plans to remove duplicate voter entries within the next three months.
District Election Officers in over 800 districts have been instructed to hold more than 5,000 meetings with local political parties.
The feedback from these meetings will be submitted to the Commission by March 31.
