New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced its intent to proceed with linking Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) with Aadhaar, in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and relevant Supreme Court judgments.
In a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, the ECI discussed the matter with key officials, including the Union Home Secretary, the Secretary of the Legislative Department, the Secretary of MeitY, and the CEO of UIDAI.
The meeting was held at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, on Tuesday.
The ECI emphasised that while voting rights under Article 326 are exclusively reserved for Indian citizens, the Aadhaar card primarily serves as a tool for identity verification.
As such, the linkage of EPIC with Aadhaar will be executed strictly within the framework of Article 326, Sections 23(4), 23(5), and 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Supreme Court judgment in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 177/2023.
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To advance this initiative, technical consultations between the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and ECI’s technical experts are set to commence soon.
This collaborative effort aims to enhance the integrity of electoral rolls while ensuring adherence to legal and constitutional safeguards.
