Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has called a high-level meeting with the Union Home Secretary, Legislative Secretary, and UIDAI CEO to address the contentious issue of linking voter identity cards with Aadhaar. Scheduled for Tuesday, the discussion comes amid growing allegations of electoral roll manipulation, raising questions about voter data integrity ahead of future polls.

The Election Commission has permitted voluntary seeding of voter rolls with Aadhaar since 2022, following amendments to election laws under the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021. The move aims to eliminate duplicate entries and enhance verification, but it has sparked debate over privacy and potential misuse. Critics, including opposition parties, allege that discrepancies in voter lists—sometimes linked to fraudulent Aadhaar details—could disenfranchise legitimate voters or enable rigging, fueling demands for stricter oversight.

Sources indicate Kumar will seek clarity on implementation challenges and legal safeguards, engaging key stakeholders from the Home Ministry, which oversees Aadhaar, and the Legislative Department, responsible for electoral law frameworks. The UIDAI’s role in ensuring secure data integration will also be under scrutiny. While the linkage remains optional, the CEC aims to address technical and ethical concerns to bolster public trust.

This meeting follows earlier efforts by the Election Commission to clean up voter rolls, with over 66 million Aadhaar numbers already seeded voluntarily nationwide. As India gears up for upcoming elections, resolving these issues could shape the credibility of the democratic process.