Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday urged the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) not to make the Aadhaar card mandatory for exercise of franchise.
Expressing concern over the Election Commission collecting Aadhaar card details, Mr. Yechury has written to the CEC pointing out that there was a Supreme Court ruling against making it a compulsory document not just for voting but for a host of other activities.
The letter cites instances of State Election Officers sending out teams door-to-door to collect Aadhaar card details of voters and informing those who provide the information that electoral cards are no longer necessary for exercising franchise. “This seems to suggest that the Election Commission has decided to make the Aadhaar card a mandatory requirement for the exercise of franchise,” Mr. Yechury pointed out.
Besides citing the Supreme Court ruling, the letter also flags the fact that Parliament is yet to legislate on the issue. The party has also expressed concern over the possibility of the huge database -- available through Aadhar – being put to “illegal use for discriminating against a section of bona fide citizens on grounds that are patently proscribed by our Constitution”.
