India to Begin Voluntary Linking of Voter IDs with Aadhaar

The Election Commission aims to resolve duplicate voter IDs while addressing privacy and disenfranchisement concerns through technical consultations with UIDAI.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced plans to link Voter IDs with Aadhaar on a voluntary basis, citing the need to eliminate duplicate voter IDs and improve electoral roll accuracy.
Technical consultations with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will begin soon to address implementation and compliance with constitutional and legal provisions.
The ECI has set a three-month deadline to resolve duplicate voter ID issues and issue new EPIC numbers to affected voters.
Civil society groups and opposition parties, including the Congress, have raised concerns about potential privacy risks and voter disenfranchisement.
The initiative stems from the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, and aligns with Supreme Court judgments, emphasizing that Aadhaar establishes identity but does not guarantee citizenship.