The Election Commission wants to link Aadhaar details of persons to the voter electoral database again and has petitioned the Supreme Court to allow it. The Election Commission had filed an application with the Supreme Court on July 4, 2017, for the same. "The matter is presently sub-judice. As the matter is still pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the Election Commission has not reviewed its instructions mentioned above," the ministry of technology and IT said in an answer to a question in the Lok Sabha. "Based on the outcome of the case, the Election Commission will consider the proposal of linking Aadhaar number for various electoral services, at appropriate time," the ministry added. The Election Commission had launched National Electoral Roll Purification& Authentication Programme (NERPAP) on March 2015 and was trying to link it to the Aadhaar database but an interim order in August 2015 from the court prevented linking of Aadhaar to voter rolls. "The Unique Identification Number or the Aadhaar card will not be used by the respondents for any purpose other than the PDS Scheme and in particular for the purpose of distribution of foodgrains, etc. and cooking fuel, such as kerosene. The Aadhaar card may also be used for the purpose of the LPG Distribution Scheme," the court had said. After the government passed the Aadhaar Act and operationalized it with a legal framework in July, the central government has made Aadhaar linking mandatory for almost all aspects of life. It is quickly turning out to be a tool…
