The Election Commission (EC) warned of "severe" disciplinary action against electoral registration officers for any leakages of physical forms filled by electors to share their Aadhaar details. This comes after rules were issued allowing linkage of Aadhaar with voters list to weed out duplicate entries. The Commission has also emphasised that submission of Aadhaar by electors is "voluntary".
In a letter sent to chief electoral officers of all states and Union territories on July 4, the poll panel said special camps at cluster level can be arranged on the dates coinciding with special campaign dates during special summary revision, where the electors can be persuaded to give their Aadhaar number voluntarily in Form-6B in hard copy.
According to a law ministry notification, using the newly-introduced Form-6B, existing voters may share their Aadhaar number will poll authorities.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (5) of Section 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950), the Central Government hereby notifies the 1st April, 2023 as the date on or before which every person whose name is included in the electoral roll may intimate his Aadhaar number in accordance with the said section," read the notification.
"The notification uses the term 'may' and not 'shall' which makes sharing details voluntary," a senior functionary had explained recently. Asserting that furnishing of Aadhaar number is "purely voluntary", the letter said the electoral registration officer (ERO) "will make it clear to the electors that the purpose of obtaining of Aadhaar number is for authentication of his entries in electoral roll and extending better electoral services to them in future... It is emphasised that submission of Aadhaar by electors is voluntary".