Bill which seeks to link electoral rolls with Aadhaar listed for introduction in Lok Sabha
PTI, Dec 19, 2021, 4:50 PM IST
New Delhi: A bill on electoral reforms which seeks to link electoral rolls with the Aadhaar ecosystem to weed out duplicacy, is listed for introduction in Lok Sabha on Monday.
The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks to allow electoral registration officers to seek Aadhaar number of people who want to register as voters “for the purpose of establishing the identity”.
It also seeks to allow the electoral registration officers to ask for Aadhaar number from “persons already included in the electoral roll for the purposes of authentication of entries in electoral roll, and to identify registration of name of the same person in the electoral roll of more than one constituency or more than once in the same constituency”.
At the same time, the amendment bill makes it clear that “no application for inclusion of name in the electoral roll shall be denied and no entries in the electoral roll shall be deleted for inability of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar number due to such sufficient cause as may be prescribed”.
Such people will be allowed to furnish other alternative documents as may be prescribed.
According to the bill circulated to Lok Sabha members ahead of its introduction, various sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951 will be amended.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill states that Section 23 of the RP Act, 1950 will be amended to allow linking of electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem “to curb the menace of multiple enrolment of the same person in different places”.
Amendment to section 14 of the RP Act, 1950 will allow to have four “qualifying” dates for eligible people to register as voters.
As of now, January 1 of every year is the sole qualifying date.
People who turn 18 on or before January 1 can register as voters.
Those turning 18 after that have to wait for one whole year to register as voters.
Now, “the 1st day of January, 1st day of April, 1st day of July and 1st day of October in a calendar year” will be the qualifying dates in relation to the preparation or revision of electoral rolls.
Amendment to section 20 of the RP Act, 1950 and section 60 of the RP Act, 1951 will allow the elections become gender-neutral for service voters.
The amendment will also help replace the word “wife” with the word “spouse” making the statutes “gender-neutral”.
An Armyman’s wife is entitled to be enrolled as a service voter, but a woman Army officer’s husband is not, according to provisions in the electoral law.
With “wife” being replaced by the term “spouse”, this will change.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Notorious gangster wanted in UAPA case arrested at Nepal border
‘Condition critical’, say doctors as farmer leader Dallewal’s fast enters 27th day
ISRO to study how crops grow in space on PSLV-C60 mission
Vandalism at Allu Arjun’s residence in Hyderabad
PM Modi to attend Christmas celebrations hosted by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Kannada Sahitya Sammelana: Food distribution creates stir
Rohit gets hit in nets, practice pitches on slower side
India & Kuwait elevate ties to strategic level; ink defence pact after PM Modi meets top Kuwaiti leaders
In Kuwait, PM Modi meets yoga practitioner, other influencers from Gulf country
Notorious gangster wanted in UAPA case arrested at Nepal border
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.