(ET)
The Election Commission of India is likely to plead in the Supreme Court that linking of Aadhaar number with voter ID-cards be made voluntary and not mandatory. The SC is set to hear a public interest litigation that seeks to link Aadhaar with electoral voter ID cards later this month. According to insiders, EC is looking at offering incentives such as online voting rights or option of voting through postal ballots to voters who would link their Aadhaar numbers to voter ID cards.
“This could begin as a service for differently abled voters who may find it difficult to go to polling stations,” a top official at Nirvachan Sadan said. While the postal ballot system is currently available to defence personnel and those on polling duty, introduction of online voting would require amendments to the Representation of People Act, 1951.
