New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a drive to link Voter Identity cards with Aadhaar cards. As per the ECI, the aim of the exercise is to establish the identity of electors and authenticate entries in the electoral roll as well as to identify if the same person is registered in more than one constituency or more than once in the same constituency.
However, linking voter ID or Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with Aadhaar card is not mandatory. The ECI has clarified that no existing voter’s name will be omitted from electoral list on the ground that Aadhaar number has not been submitted.
For linking Aadhaar card with EPIC online via mobile, the ECI has shared the following steps:
• The EPIC cardholder has to first download and install Voter Helpline App either from Google Play Store (Android users) or App store (iPhone users).
• After the installation is complete, open Voter Helpline App and click on “I agree” and then “Next”. Then click on first option “Voter Registration”, and then select “Electoral Authentication Form (Form6B)” and “Lets Start”.
• Now, enter your mobile number and click on “send OTP”. Enter OTP shared on mobile number and click on “Verify”.
• After this, select the first option “Yes I have voter ID” and then click “Next”. Now enter the “Voter ID (EPIC)” number, select the “State” and then click on “Fetch details” and “Proceed”.
• Enter details shown on screen and click on “Next”. Enter “Aadhaar Number”, “Mobile number”, “Place of Application” and then click “done.” Form-6B Preview page will be displayed.
• Check details and click on “Confirm” for the final submission of Form-6B. After final confirmation Form-6B’s reference number will be received.
• Form-6B is for voters to share their Aadhaar number with the ECI. It is also available online at nvsp.in
The move from the ECI to link voter ID with Aadhaar comes against the backdrop of The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, which was passed in Parliament in December last year. Act amends the Representation of the People Act, for allowing the linking of voter IDs with Aadhaar on a voluntary basis.
I worked as a presiding officer years ago, at a polling station in Mysore.
Although identity cheat s occur at the polling station, it is on a small scale, as voters who take the identities of others to vote, were nervous
as they presented themselves at the polling stations..
The massive fraud of voted ballot papers being thrust into the ballot boxes occurred then, and I am told now is at the place where the ballot boxes are stored, presumably guarded. Ballot boxes are not tamper proof, and an insider job, at the high official level ensures thousands of ballot paper with votes for particular candidate is thrust into these boxes.
India has many rural constituencies , and polling stations there. From there these ballot boxes have to be transferred to the district HQ before counting. One officla , mentioned that this transfer is subjected to ballot boxes which are ready with ballots voted for a particular candidate are swapped with the legitimate ballot boxes of th e polling stations. That way the victory for a particular candidate is ensured. Corruption occurs at the hihest levels of officialdom. If the candidate is destined to be a minister, jobs are promised, if he wins.+