Delhi HC Asks EC to Consider Aadhaar-Based Voting for Elections

The petitioner has sought a direction to the EC to link people’s voter ID card with their Aadhaar.

File image of the Delhi High Court.

(Photo: IANS)

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday, 16 July, directed the Election Commission of India (EC) to consider a representation that seeks to introduce Aadhaar-based Election Voting System, news agency ANI reported.

According to the report, the Delhi HC order comes in a bid to curtail fake, fabricated and duplicate votes. 

It has asked the EC to decide on representation in accordance to law within 8 weeks.

The direction was passed by a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar in a petition filed by one Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, according to a LiveLaw report.

A plea seeking the same relief was earlier presented before the Supreme Court.

According to the LiveLaw report, the apex court had also directed the EC to consider the representation made by Upadhyay in March this year. The high court petition came after the Commission failed to act on the SC order.

LiveLaw quoted the HC order as saying: "... we hereby directed the Election Commission to decide the representation made by the petitioner in accordance with law... (and) policy... if not decided, within a period of eight weeks."

Upadhyay has proposed an E-Voting System where the person will be able to cast a vote using biometrics.

<i>“... after verification, system shows voter’s information like, Aadhaar number, Name, Address and Date of birth, that are already stored in Aadhaar’s database and system further asks for voter’s fingerprint. If fingerprint image is matched with template image, which is stored in Aadhaar’s database, then next page shows candidate’s list with party symbol. After selecting a candidate, system asks for vote confirmation. Finally, system shows result ‘Vote successful’”</i>

Delhi HC Order

He also said that with the Aadhaar-based system, people will be able to vote without going to their constituencies.

It will also permit only eligible voters to cast their vote, ensuring that eligible voters cast their vote only once, while maintaining privacy and authority. This might just ensure a rise in the voting percentage.

(With inputs from ANI and LiveLaw)