'Will Make Voter List Clean': CEC Sushil Chandra Welcomes Election Laws Bill

The Bill was passed by the Upper House on Tuesday amid vehement protests by the Opposition.

File image of CEC Sushil Chandra.

(Photo: PTI)

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Wednesday, 22 December welcomed the Election Laws (Amendment Bill), 2021, which links Aadhaar with Voter ID, saying that it would eliminate repetition of names in voter list and make the the electoral roll "very clean," The Indian Express reported.

Chandra, who was on a two-day visit to Goa to review the preparedness for the Assembly elections, addressed reporters in Panaji and said:

"This is a very useful Bill… the reason for this particular linkage (with Aadhaar) is that in our electoral rolls… (many) persons (are listed) in two or three places. So, that will help us in eliminating double voters — double names of same persons in one constituency… so the electoral roll will be very, very clean."

He went on to assure that no name will be struck out without complete verification, adding that there are enough safeguards present in the legislation.

“Suppose you are a voter at two places and we come to know that, the natural process is I should ask you whether you would like to be a voter in Panaji or at the other place. So, safeguards are there. This will ensure a very clean vote," The Indian Express quoted Chandra as saying.

The Bill was passed by the Upper House on Tuesday amid vehement protests by Opposition MPs who insist that the legislation will infringe upon the privacy of the voters and potentially give voting privileges to non-citizens.

(With inputs from The Indian Express.)