ECI to take action on linking EPIC with Aadhaar

JAMMU, MAR 19: The Election Commission of India (ECI), under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, convened a key meeting today at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi.
The session was attended by Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, alongside senior officials, including the Union Home Secretary, Secretary of the Legislative Department, Secretary of MeitY, CEO of UIDAI, and technical experts from ECI.
The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss the linking of the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with Aadhaar. While the Constitution of India, under Article 326, guarantees voting rights exclusively to Indian citizens, Aadhaar serves solely as an identity verification tool. In light of this, it was agreed that the process of linking EPIC with Aadhaar will proceed in strict accordance with the provisions laid out in Article 326, Section 23(4), 23(5), and 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, as well as in compliance with the Supreme Court’s ruling in WP (Civil) No. 177/2023.
Technical consultations between the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the ECI’s technical experts are set to begin shortly, ensuring that all procedures are aligned with legal and constitutional requirements.