[Answered] valuate the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) initiative to link Aadhaar with Voter ID, examining its potential impact on electoral integrity and voter authentication. Critically discuss the associated concerns regarding privacy, data security, and the possibility of disenfranchisement.

Introduction

The Election Commission of India (ECI), under the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, has initiated the process of linking Aadhaar with Voter ID (EPIC) to curb electoral fraud, such as duplicate or bogus voting, and improve voter authentication. While the move promises enhanced integrity of the electoral rolls, it has raised constitutional, legal, and technical concerns, particularly regarding privacy, coercion, and potential disenfranchisement.

Positive Dimensions

1. Electoral Integrity: Linking Aadhaar may reduce duplication of voters across constituencies by uniquely identifying individuals. Supports objectives of clean electoral rolls, improving the credibility of elections.
2. Operational Efficiency: Enables smoother management during elections and faster detection of anomalies. Helps reduce resource strain on electoral machinery, especially in populous states.

Concerns and Challenges

1. Violation of Judicial Directives: Despite the Supreme Court’s observation in G. Niranjan v. ECI (2023) and the assurance of voluntary linkage, procedural mandates via Form 6B have created coercive compliance.
2. Privacy and Surveillance Risks: The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA), 2023 permits broad government exemptions, raising fears of dragnet profiling and political micro-targeting based on caste, religion, or geography. Past instances such as NPR data repurposing without consent highlight weak safeguards.
3. Data Inaccuracy and Security: The CAG Report (2021) flagged over 4.75 lakh Aadhaar numbers issued on faulty biometric data; this undermines the reliability of Aadhaar for electoral purposes.
4. Mass Disenfranchisement Risk: In 2015, under NERPAP, 55 lakh voters were deleted in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana due to Aadhaar mismatches. Vulnerable groups like migrants, the elderly, and disabled face higher risks due to weak grievance redressal systems and procedural burdens.
5. Institutional Autonomy: The UIDAI, being an executive-controlled body (Section 50, Aadhaar Act), compromises the constitutional independence of the ECI (Article 324) when given control over voter verification.

Conclusion and Way Forward

While Aadhaar–Voter ID linkage can bolster electoral transparency, it must be implemented with constitutional safeguards, voluntary participation, robust data protection, and independent oversight. A judicially monitored framework, privacy-by-design architecture, and grievance redressal mechanisms are essential to protect citizen rights and uphold democratic integrity.