Purpose of Linking
Linking Aadhaar with voter IDs can ensure that every citizen gets only one voter ID, preventing duplicate registrations.
Initially, de-duplication software was used by districts to identify and remove duplicate IDs, which was challenging. Aadhaar can help streamline this process effectively.
Aadhaar’s Role
Aadhaar assigns a unique number to each person, ensuring one identity per individual.
This can clean up voter lists by matching voter IDs with Aadhaar data.
Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship, so the Election Commission (ECI) would still manage voter eligibility separately.
Aadhaar and voter IDs only contain basic personal details (e.g., name, age, address), and the mobile number is optional, which minimizes privacy concerns.
Voter Roll Integrity Issues
Missing voters can result from administrative errors, mischief, or simple mistakes.
This leads to disenfranchisement, making regular checks on electoral rolls crucial.
Despite technological solutions like Aadhaar linking, human errors and dishonesty (e.g., deletion of names due to political bias) remain risks, requiring the ECI to act transparently and effectively.
Limitations of Aadhaar Linkage
While Aadhaar can address duplication, it cannot tackle issues related to human integrity, impartiality, and election fraud (e.g., booth capturing or machine tampering).
The ECI must address broader issues like election fraud and maintain transparency to ensure public trust in the electoral process.
Political Context
Political parties (e.g., AAP and BJP) accuse each other of manipulating voter rolls for electoral gain, highlighting the need for transparent systems.
Linking Aadhaar could help reduce suspicion of electoral manipulation, but broader issues of governance and election fairness remain critical.
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