Law Minister to consider EC's proposal of collecting UIDAI information

After the Election Commission proposed to collect Aadhar numbers of new applicants and existing voters to avoid multiple entries in electoral rolls, The Law Ministry is finally considering the proposal to amend the Representation of the People Act. This comes after the Supreme Court, in 2015 had disapproved of the Election Commission's project to link voter's electoral data with their respective UIDAI. 

READ | Maharashtra Elections: EC Declares 798 Nominations Out Of 5543 Invalid

Election Commission proposes changes in electoral law

As a part of the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP), the EC was collecting voter's Aadhar numbers to keep a check on the multiple entries in the electoral rolls but the Supreme Court had then asked the EC to put brakes on their project. The Commission recently proposed the Law Ministry to amend the Representation of the People Act in order to allow EC to seek Aadhaar numbers of those applying to be voters and those who are already part of the electoral rolls. According to PTI sources, the Law Ministry is finally considering to make some changes in the electoral law. A senior ministry official, while speaking to PTI said, "action is being taken."

READ | PM Modi Holds Meet With BJP Election Committee To Finalise Candidates

'Sanction of law required to collect Aadhar', says SC

The EC proposal which was sent to the ministry in August suggested that the electoral law should be amended in order to empower electoral registration officers to seek Aadhaar number of existing voters as well as of those applying to get their names on the voters' list. This was suggested to check multiple entries in electoral rolls and to make them error-free. However, the Commission has proposed changes in the electoral law as the Supreme Court had passed an order which said that sanction of law is required to collect Aadhaar number.

READ | Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's Wife Novel Singhal In Tax Trouble

READ | Maha Polls: EC Data Reveals 1,905 Nominations Filed In Marathwada

READ | ECI Approves Nomination Papers Of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

(With PTI Inputs)