Lately, the Election Commission (EC) has launched a campaign endorsing the connection between a citizen’s Voter ID and Aadhaar number. Government officials have directed individuals to link their Aadhaar with their Voter IDs. The failure to perform this may lead to nullification of their Voter ID cards.
The Government’s Motive Behind Voter ID-Aadhaar Linkage
The integration project aims to aid the Election Commission in continuously updating and maintaining an accurate voters’ record. The government believes that linking Aadhaar to Voter IDs will confirm that each Indian citizen obtains only one Voter ID. This move will also eliminate the duplication of voters, such as migrant workers or people registered multiple times in the same constituency.
Advantages of Linking Voter ID with Aadhaar
As of 2021, 99.7% of the adult Indian population possessed an Aadhaar card. Since Aadhaar permits biometric authentication, this makes Aadhaar-based authentication and verification more reliable, swift, and cost-effective than other forms of identification.
Legal Status and Recent Changes
In December 2021, the Parliament approved the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 which revised the Representation of People Act, 1950. Accordingly, the electoral registration officer could require citizens to provide their Aadhaar numbers for identity verification or authentication purposes. However, the government and EC have assured that linking Aadhaar with Voter ID remains optional.
Issues Arising from Voter ID-Aadhaar Connection
A few concerns include an unclear constitutional status, confusion due to Aadhar only being proof of residence and not citizenship, and significant error rates in biometric-based authentication. There are also worries regarding the violation of the right to privacy, as combining electoral roll and Aadhaar databases could result in unwarranted state surveillance.
Proposed Measures
The government should invite public opinion and allow parliamentary scrutiny before implementing new provisions. It’s crucial to ensure that citizens and elected representatives are not deprived of their rights and opportunities. Prioritizing the enactment of the Personal Data Protection (PDP) law is necessary before integrating Aadhaar with Voter IDs.
Past UPSC Civil Services Examination Questions
One question asked in the 2018 prelims examined candidates’ understanding of the Aadhaar Card. The correct answer was that the Aadhaar Card cannot be used as proof of citizenship or domicile and that the Issuing Authority can deactivate or omit an issued Aadhaar number. A question for the mains involved examining the extent of Fundamental Rights in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the Right to Privacy.
