Law Min nod to ECI for Voter ID card seeding with Aadhar card invokes data privacy debate

Mumbai: With the Union Law Ministry accepting the Election Commission of India (ECI) suggestion for linking (seeding) Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC – Voter ID Card) with Aadhar card, the move is bound to once again invoke the data privacy debate as it did in 2015. Back in 2015, the ECI had tried to do it, but the data privacy debate then had evoked a poor response from the voters, especially in Maharashtra. The ECI finally had to abandon the project with the Supreme Court of India had in another case relating to use of Aadhar card in Public Distribution Scheme (PDS), banned its use.  

Sources in the ECI in Maharashtra, the poll body had to stop the exercise in 2015 after the SC had ruled that the Aadhar Card could not be used in PDS for distribution of foodgrains, LPG and Kerosene. All the data then generated had to be deleted as per the orders of the SC. When asked about the fresh move, the ECI source added that the poll body will have to start the process afresh taking into account the directives on data privacy from the government.

The Law Ministry is reported to have told the ECI to ensure strict arrangements should be made to prevent data theft while implementing the process. Sources added that the Law Ministry has agreed to the ECI suggestion with some conditions. If finally approved, it will empower the ECI to link its Voter ID data base with Aadhar card. Sources added that the move will also ensure elimination of bogus voters, duplicate entries and deceased voters.

During the tenure of then Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), H S Brahma, the ECI had tried to implement the Voter card seeding with Aadhar card. Sources in the ECI disclosed then that on a national level, only 38 crore Voter ID cards were linked with Aadhar card. Following the fears expressed about data theft and the SC verdict later, the process was abandoned.

The response in Maharashtra then was equally poor, as per the 2015 ECI data on Aadhar seeding. Out of the total voter population of 8.07 crore, hardly 8,81,115 voters spread across 288 assembly constituencies had applied for the seeding of their Voter ID Cards with Aadhar cards.

Out of these there were 16 assembly constituencies where the Voter ID card seeding had exceeded 10,000 mark. Most of them were from Vidharbha, Marathwada and a few from Kolhapur district in Western Maharashtra.

In the 16 assembly constituencies a total of just 2,69,305 lakh voters had completed the process. Here, the highest seeding was recorded in Basmath 41,246, Kalamnuri 36,545 and Hingoli 25,426.

There were 24 assembly constituencies where the Voter ID card seeding was less than the 100 mark. Here just 1,689 voters had completed the process. Worst or poor response was then recorded in – Hinganghat 33, Deoli 38 and Arjuni-Morgaon (SC) 51.

The worst and poor response in the 36 assembly constituencies of Mumbai, of just 58 voters was recorded in Andheri East in Mumbai Suburban district. Hardly, 14,426 voters out of the total 97,44,020 voters from the 36 assembly constituencies had completed the process then. The worst response was in – Vandre East 90, Malad West 92, Kalina 88, Mumbadevi 61, Wadala 76 and Worli 88.