EPIC-Aadhaar linkage a better method to create error-free electoral roll, says former MP

The Election Commission of India should have taken up the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) instead of taking up the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) if the objective was to create an error-free electoral roll in the country, former Member of Parliament and president of Puducherry Maanila Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam M. Ramadass has said.

In a statement, he said the SIR exercise had led to large-scale deletion of voters in Bihar. The ongoing exercise in several States and Union Territories has created a lot of confusion among voters and posing work-related problems to Booth Level Officers, he said.

“The hurry and haste to complete the revision within one month could result in an electoral roll more imperfect with a margin of 15 to 20 per cent error. Linking Aadhaar is far superior in purifying the electoral rolls. Since the linking uses centralised biometric data base and is technology-driven, it enables digital matching, automates verification, reduces impersonation risks and helps identify and delete deceased voters. It can help identify duplicate or fraudulent entries in multiple States or constituencies due to the nation based data of Aadhaar,” he said.