Indian citizens will soon be able to link their Aadhar number with their voter identification to authenticate their entry in the electoral rolls, as per a notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice. The provision was part of the new rules called the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules, 2022, announced by the Union Government in consultation with the Election Commission of India (ECI). https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/1537787883288899584 Why it matters: The measure was first announced as part of the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 amid stiff opposition in the Indian Parliament. Many critics had stated that the move was against the fundamental Right to Privacy and that it will enable surveillance and profiling of voters. It is likely that this notification will also come under fire. What is the basis of these rules: The notification has been issued under the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 20 and the Rajya Sabha on December 21. [caption id="attachment_163883" align="alignnone" width="880"] Source: Government of India[/caption] Is the provision mandatory: A cursory glance of the form suggests that voters do not have to share their number mandatorily but Apar Gupta, Executive Director, Internet Freedom Foundation, explained in a tweet that choice was absent from the forms. He said that the exception was only available to those who did not have an Aadhar number. https://twitter.com/apar1984/status/1538092776671174658 “Special provision for providing Aadhaar number by existing electors.— Every person whose name is listed in the roll may [emphasis added] intimate his Aadhaar…
