The authorities has approached the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) with a proposal to permit the Election Commission (EC) to make use of Aadhaar for registration of recent voters.
The Law Ministry has instructed that Aadhaar verification may also be used for sooner supply of sure different companies equivalent to change of tackle.
The authorities has stated that underneath Rule 3 of the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation and Knowledge) Rules, 2020, downloading of e-EPIC (Electronic Voter Photo Identity Card) or voter slip could also be allowed.
The guidelines, which had been notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on August 5 final 12 months, for Aadhaar authentication “in the interest of good governance, to prevent leakage of public money, ease the lives of residents and enable better access”. present companies for them”.
To use Aadhaar for such functions, the entity has to submit a proposal to the Central Government which forwards it to the UIDAI. The Indian Express has realized that the Law Ministry’s letter to the UIDAI was despatched on the behest of the Election Commission, and that the proposed Aadhaar verification could be voluntary.
If the UIDAI and the federal government agree, seeding of voter playing cards with Aadhaar for the above functions can start with out the necessity for amendments to the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
In August 2019, the fee wrote to the regulation secretary proposing amendments to the RP Act and the Aadhaar Act to allow assortment and use of Aadhaar knowledge for “cleaning” the voters’ record as a “back-end exercise”. empower for
The Election Commission had then argued that Aadhaar-seeding of voter playing cards would assist weed out duplicate entries and bogus voters, and would due to this fact serve the nationwide curiosity. “This move will pave the way for future exploration of the use of technology for voting and verification of voter identities,” it stated in its letter.
As per the proposed modification of the Election Commission to the RP Act, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), for the aim of creating identification, might ask a person to furnish his/her Aadhaar quantity and should even ask those that are already enrolled as voters. Check for duplicate entries.
However, the proposed modification additionally stated that nobody shall be denied enrollment or faraway from the voter record as a consequence of incapacity to furnish Aadhaar or not having Aadhaar.
The Election Commission had began the train of linking Aadhaar with EPIC in February 2015, when HS Brahma was the Chief Election Commissioner. But the apply was suspended in August that 12 months, after the Supreme Court banned the usage of Aadhaar for the distribution of Public Distribution System (PDS), and LPG and kerosene. Till then, the Election Commission had linked 38 crore voter playing cards with Aadhaar.
In its remaining order handed in September 2018, the highest courtroom held that privateness is a basic proper, however could be curtailed if there’s a particular regulation authorizing Aadhaar assortment or if the curiosity of the state is concerned or a check of proportionality. Is. is glad. Hence, the Commission’s demand for authorized powers to reintroduce voter playing cards with Aadhaar in 2019.
While the Law Ministry had responded positively to the request and ready a proposal for cupboard approval, no growth had taken place since then – besides that the ministry proposed the introduction of Aadhaar-seeding of voter playing cards with none amendments. Is. Law.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
