Aadhaar may be linked to voter ID soon

New Delhi: Rules on linking Aadhaar with the electoral rolls (Voter ID) can be issued by the government soon, ex-Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra has said, adding that sharing Aadhaar details will be voluntary for voters, but those not doing so will have to give "sufficient reasons".

On whether sharing Aadhaar details will be voluntary, he replied in positive. "It will be voluntary. But sufficient reason will have to be given by voters for not giving their Aadhaar numbers. The reason may include not having an Aadhaar or not having applied for one or any other reason they can think of. I cannot think of any other reason," he said.

Chandra was of the view that sharing Aadhaar number will help the Election Commission to purify the voter list. It will also ensure that the poll panel is able to give more services to the voters through its communication system, he added. "If we know about the voter more clearly, then we can give more services such as when the elections will be held and booth (details) on their phone numbers... We should know clearly that he/she is the right person,"Chandra said.

Asked about the biggest challenge he has faced as the Chief Election Commission, he said the "toughest" one was to conduct elections in five states and various bypolls during COVID-19.