Voter ID-Aadhaar link passed on priority by Lok Sabha

The new law to link Aadhar and Voter ID is arriving. An analysis.

Voter ID-Aadhaar link passed on priority by Lok Sabha

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• The story: The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to link electoral rolls to Aadhaar number was listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha on 20th December. Despite stiff opposition, it was not taken up for detailed deliberations, and passed within minutes.
• What it does: The Bill allows electoral registration officers to ask for Aadhaar numbers of applicants wanting to register as voters to establish the identity of the applicant. This is the first time it would happen.

1. It seeks to allow the officers to ask for the number from “persons already included in the electoral roll for the purposes of authentication of entries in electoral roll, and to identify registration of name of the same person in the electoral roll of more than one constituency or more than once in the same constituency”.
2. The amendment Bill makes it clear that “no application for inclusion of name in the electoral roll shall be denied and no entries in the electoral roll shall be deleted for inability of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar number due to such sufficient cause as may be prescribed”. So everything is voluntary, is the official claim.
3. The same was said for the national digital health ID also, when many found that they had been enrolled without permission, while they went for Covid vaccination.

• Other documents: People who cannot furnish their Aadhaar numbers will be allowed to present other documents to establish identity. Various Sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 have been amended.

1. The Statement of Objects and Reasons says Section 23 of the RP Act, 1950 will be amended to allow linking of the roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem “to curb the menace of multiple enrolment of the same person in different places”.
2. Amendment to Section 14 of the RP Act, 1950 will allow to have four “qualifying” dates for eligible people to register as voters.
3. As of now, January 1 of every year is the sole qualifying date. People who turn 18 on or before January 1 can register as voters. Those turning 18 after that have to wait for one whole year to register as voters. Now, “the January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 in a calendar year” will be the qualifying dates in relation to the preparation or revision of electoral rolls.

• Gender-neutral for service voters: Amendment to Section 20 of the RP Act, 1950 and Section 60 of the RP Act, 1951 will allow the elections become gender-neutral for service voters. It will also help replace the word “wife” with the word “spouse” making the statutes “gender neutral”. This seeks to redress any discrimination against male spouses of female armed services employees, with “wife” being replaced as “spouse.”
• Summary: Experts have pointed out the risks inherent in such linking. The logic being given is that once these databases - Voter ID and Aadhar - link up, data mining can be easily done in the background. Since mobile numbers are linked with Aadhar, and mobile numbers are the key to social media accounts, deeper data mining is also possible. That can lead to exclusions, inclusions, targeted messaging, and much more. In a highly polarised political environment, these possibilities are raising the heckles of opposition. The lack of any debate is further compounding the problem.
• EXAM QUESTIONS: (1) Explain the pros and cons of the Aadhar - Voter ID linking system being launched in India. (2) Secrecy of vote is the key to democracy's legitimacy. Explain the various ways it can be compromised. Also explain what checks can be used to counter it.

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