Linking Aadhaar to electoral rolls will clean voters’ list of multiple enrollments, says Centre

New Delhi: Although criticism by the Opposition is being faced regarding a bill to link Aadhaar with electoral rolls, sources in the government mentioned that this will enable to solve the “major problem” of multiple enrolments of the same person at different places and will also aid in “cleaning” the voters’ list largely.

The assertion is followed a day apart from when the ‘Election Laws (Amendment) bill 2021’ to link electoral roll data with the Aadhaar and carry out other poll reforms were passed by the Lok Sabha, following a brief war of words and demand by the Opposition to refer it to the standing committee.

As per the sources of the government, the bill includes various electoral reforms which have been discussed for a very long time.

They stated that the registration in the electoral roll is done based on the application by a person who is eligible to be registered as a voter. Besides, the bill provides a provision where the concerned person may voluntarily provide the Aadhaar card number along with the application for identification.

Further, the sources added that no application will be rejected if the Aadhaar card number is not provided.

Aadhaar card linking with electoral rolls will solve one of the ‘major problems in the electoral database management of multiple enrolments of the same person at different places. This is due to the shifting of residence by electors and getting enrolled in the new place without deleting the previous one.

After the linkage of Aadhaar is completed, the electoral roll data system will immediately alert the existence of the previous registration(s), as and when a person applies for new registration, said the source.

This will enable to “clean” the electoral roll largely and facilitate voter registration in the place where they are ‘ordinarily resident,’ added the source.

Apart from linking, the bill also allows gender neutrality by removing the word ‘wife’ with ‘spouse’ to allow the husband voters to vote from the place where their wives are posted.

Besides, four qualifying dates are provided – January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1, in a year for the registration of voters.