Aadhaar-Electoral Rolls-Privacy

Source: The Hindu (Aadhaar)

Why in News?

The debate around linking Aadhaar with voter IDs has gained significant attention, especially in light of allegations concerning the manipulation of electoral rolls, as seen in the political tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding the Delhi electoral rolls. The controversy revolves around claims of voter deletion and immigration manipulation, which raises concerns about transparency and fairness in elections.

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Explanation of the Issue: Aadhaar with Voter ID

1. Linking Aadhaar with Voter ID: The proposal aims to eliminate duplication and ensure that each individual has only one voter ID.
   • Aadhaar, with its unique identification number, is believed to help clean up electoral rolls by identifying duplicate entries or cases of proxy voting.
2. Privacy Concerns: There are concerns about the right to privacy when linking Aadhar with voter IDs.
   • While Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship, its linkage with voter ID could result in the misuse of private information such as a person’s mobile number, which might be misused for unsolicited marketing or political manipulation.
3. Electoral Roll Manipulation: Political Parties have accused each other of manipulating voter lists for electoral gains, raising questions about the integrity of the electoral process.

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Advantages and Challenges: Linking Aadhaar with Voter ID

Advantages	Challenges
Elimination of Duplicate Voter IDs: Linking Aadhaar with voter IDs ensures that each person is registered only once.	Privacy Risks: Sharing mobile numbers and other personal details may lead to privacy violations or unauthorized access.
Improved Electoral Roll Integrity: Helps identify discrepancies, such as missing or duplicated names, improving transparency.	Exclusion of Non-Citizens: Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, and non-citizens can have Aadhaar cards, which might lead to ineligible people being included in the voter list.
Real-time Authentication: Aadhaar provides real-time verification, which can prevent fraud such as proxy voting.	Risk of Technological Failures: Dependency on technology could lead to system errors, clerical mistakes, or misuse by dishonest officers.
Reduced Electoral Fraud: Helps in preventing issues such as booth capturing and multiple voting from different locations.	Exploitation of Vulnerable Groups: Linking could lead to the exclusion of vulnerable populations, such as migrants or homeless individuals, from the voter rolls.

Way Forward

1. Strengthening the Electoral Process: While linking Aadhaar to voter IDs may address issues of duplicate registration, it is not a panacea. The focus must also be on improving the overall integrity of the electoral system through measures like frequent auditing of voter rolls, ensuring accountability among election officials, and combating political manipulation.
2. Safeguarding Privacy: Addressing privacy concerns is crucial. There should be stringent safeguards to ensure that Aadhaar details such as mobile numbers and addresses are not misused for political or commercial purposes.
3. Legal Framework: A robust legal framework should be implemented to ensure the protection of individual privacy while enabling the benefits of Aadhaar-voter ID linkage. Proper checks should be in place to prevent unauthorized data sharing.