Proposal to link aadhaar with voter list आधार को मतदाता सूची से जोड़ना

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4114
अतारांकित प्रश्न सं. 4114

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state

(a) whether the Government is considering any proposal to link Aadhaar with voter list besides launching the registration of new voters to more than once in a year and to make service voters gender neutral as a measure of electoral reforms;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether section 20 of the Representation of the People Act provides that wife of service voter can cast the vote in place of her husband but husband of female service voter cannot cast the vote in place of his wife;

(d) if so, whether the Government is considering to amend it; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

(a) to (b)  In order to ensure preparation of error free electoral roll and to prevent duplication of entries, a proposal to amend Representation of the People Act, 1951 to enable duplication of electoral data using Aadhar system has been received from the Election Commission. The matter is under examination.

(c) to (e)  Section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 defines the meaning of the expression “ordinarily resident.” It also lays down the specific place which is deemed to be the ordinary residence of the persons specified therein. However, with a view to making the existing provisions gender neutral, a proposal to substitute the word ‘wife’ with the word ‘spouse’ appearing in sub-section (6) of the section 20 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 as well as sub-clause (ii) of clause (b) of section 60 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 is under consideration of the Government.