Supreme Court Flags Plea for Biometric Voting, Seeks Replies from ECI and Government

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has asked the Election Commission of India, the Centre and state governments to respond to a petition that wants biometric checks for voters at polling booths.

The plea has been filed by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. He has argued that using fingerprint and iris scans during voting could help stop fraud such as duplicate voting, impersonation and fake entries in voter lists.

A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant is set to hear the matter. The case brings focus back on how India can make elections more secure without making the process complicated for voters.

In his petition, Upadhyay says that current checks are not always enough to stop misuse. He believes biometric verification can ensure that each person votes only once and that the right person is casting the vote. He has also pointed out that such a system could create a record of verification, which can later be checked if needed.

The argument is that stronger identification at polling booths will improve trust in election results. According to the plea, this could make the system more transparent and reduce doubts about fairness.

At the same time, the proposal is likely to raise concerns. Questions around privacy, handling of sensitive data and the practical challenge of setting up biometric systems across the country are expected to be discussed in court.

For now, the Supreme Court has only issued notices. The final call will depend on how the Election Commission and the government respond, and whether the court sees this as a necessary step to strengthen the voting process.

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