By Anbuselvan B
Published: 24th May 2015 06:03 AM
MADURAI:Brushing aside the Supreme Court ruling that Aadhaar is not mandatory, the Madurai Corporation threatened to take action against the residents who failed to produce a copy of the card for linking it with voter IDs. However, after the media questioned the presumably illegal directive, the Corporation did a U-turn and said a copy of residence proof also would be accepted for electoral roll purification drive.
The Corporation initially issued a release asking for Aadhaar card copy along with Voters ID to be given as proof. Though the civic administration did not specify the action in store, official sources said voters who do not furnish Aadhaar or proof of residence would be removed from the electoral roll.
It sent a revised statement within half-an-hour saying a copy of residence proof would also be accepted after journalists questioned the officials about the need to produce Aadhaar when the Supreme Court had summarily dismissed its necessity for government benefits.
Commissioner C Kathiravan said, “The linking of Aadhaar card with Voters ID is being undertaken in the four assembly constituencies - Madurai North, South, Central and West, for the last 3 months. It has come to light that a large number of people in these segments have either shifted or found absent.”
The name list of those who have failed to link their Aadhaar number with Voters ID have been put up at respective polling centres and ward offices, he said urging the voters to submit evidences such as copy of Voters ID, Aadhaar card/Residence Proof along with mobile numbers to get their Aadhaar linked with EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) at a special camp to be conducted for two days on May 25 and 26.
Meanwhile, activists have termed the Corporation’s act as illegal. Madurai-based consumer rights activist and advocate Piravi Perumal said, “Supreme Court has clearly pronounced that no one should be harassed or forced to get Aadhaar card. The announcement is a gross violation of SC order.”
The civic body, sources say, have not conducted any door-to-door verification to authenticate voters’ location in the last one year.
“It has simply declared those voters who have not submitted their Aadhaar and mobile numbers as shifted and is threatening to remove their names from the voters’ list,” an insider said.
According to 2011 National Population Register, 14,76,464 people are eligible for Aadhaar in Madurai city. While 10.3 lakh have enrolled in the last three years, over 3 lakh people have not shown an interest to enroll their names to get Aadhaar card.