Aadhar not to be used in Assembly elections

Aadhar numbers are being used in various social cash transfer schemes

The Aadhar numbers are supposed to be unique. They are aimed at removing duplication and are being used in various social cash transfer schemes as they do away with corruption and place the benefits directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries. But though the process of Aadhar enrolment, as per the Delhi Government, is due to be completed by March end, this unique identification number would not be used in the upcoming Assembly elections to do away with corruption and the problem of bogus votes.

Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Kumar Dev said while meetings have been held to discuss the issue of using Aadhar numbers for establishing the identity of voters at the time of voting and to eliminate the problem of bogus voter identity cards, it was due to the poor outreach of the scheme in other States that the scheme could not be implemented in one go.

He said the approval of the Union Cabinet would be required to amend certain forms for allowing the use of Aadhar numbers.

Also, the provision would have to be included in the elections laws if “no Aadhar, no vote’’ rule is to be implemented.

Since the implementation of both Aadhar and the conduct of the elections is done with the help of the Revenue Department, Mr. Dev, who was earlier Divisional Commissioner in the Delhi Government, said progress on linking the two could be made.

“As Divisional Commissioner, I had asked the UIDAI that the Deputy Commissioners be allowed to generate Aadhar numbers even if the cards had not been delivered to the voters; that practice is now on.’’

According to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, only about 6 per cent of the population is still to be covered by Aadhar. She recently directed the Divisional Commissioner to complete the enrolment process by March 31, stating that this would ensure the passing on of benefits under the cash transfer scheme to all the beneficiaries.

Ms. Dikshit also exhorted people to get themselves enrolled at offices of Divisional Commissioner, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and at the Gender Resource Centres and Electors Photo Identity Card Centres as Aadhar numbers were going to become essential for availing of benefits under the various social sector schemes of the Delhi Government.

She said nine Centrally-sponsored schemes have also been implemented under the Aadhar-based direct cash transfer mode.