8885 - Over 34 crore voter IDs to be de-linked from Aadhaar after SC decision; Maharashtra completes process - dna

Over 34 crore voter IDs to be de-linked from Aadhaar after SC decision; Maharashtra completes process

Friday, 9 October 2015 - 8:00am IST | Agency: dna | From the print edition

Kanchan Srivastava

The apex poll body, which has put mammoth efforts in encouraging 34 crore voters across India to link their Aadhaar (Unique Identification) with the Election Photo Identification Card (EPIC) from March to mid-August this year, will now have to initiate the de-linking exercise.

Supreme Court's ruling on Wednesday — that Aadhaar card can be used only for availing subsidies under the public distribution system and buying kerosene and cooking gas, and that too voluntarily — has jolted the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The apex poll body, which has put mammoth efforts in encouraging 34 crore voters across India to link their Aadhaar (Unique Identification) with the Election Photo Identification Card (EPIC) from March to mid-August this year, will now have to initiate the de-linking exercise.

Maharashtra's chief electoral office said they completed the exercise last month as per the direction of the ECI. "Over 1.8 crore voters in the state had furnished their Aadhaar numbers for seeding with EPIC between March and August. We had started the exercise following the interim SC order on August 11," said a top official.

Under the National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP), the ECI had launched massive campaigns and newspaper ads across the country for six months, requesting voters to link the two identities.

Over 34 crore voters across the country took the pains and followed the ECI's directives. They are now fuming. "Such haphazard implementation of the scheme frustrates all those who took efforts to follow government directives. Those who ignored are happier now," said Brajesh Sharan, a Mumbai-based banker.

The ECI had hoped to complete linking of voters' ID details with their Aadhaar data by August 15, enabling an error-free electoral roll. It was also looking at a more realistic deadline of 2015-end, while also ruling out 100% coverage.

After a slew of blows to the unique identity or UID programme, the Centre, Reserve Bank of India, stock market watchdog SEBI, telecom regulator TRAI, and a number of states moved the SC for extending the voluntary use of Aadhaar card to other services.

The government's ambitious UID scheme has been challenged in court over privacy concerns because it uses biometric data — fingerprint and iris scans.

Is this the end for Aadhaar for other schemes?

Unlikely. Though the BJP government had opposed the Aadhaar scheme until it was in opposition, the Narendra Modi government has given it a new push since coming to power last year. "For now, the ruling will remain, until a Constitution bench hears the case. The Centre is likely to move court to seek hearing from the larger bench," said a law professor of Mumbai university.

8461 - Aadhaar-EPIC Linking at Polling Stations Today - New Indian Express

Aadhaar-EPIC Linking at Polling Stations Today

By Express News Service

Published: 08th August 2015 03:55 AM

HYDERABAD: To cleanse the electoral rolls and weed out bogus and duplicate Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is providing an opportunity for Aadhaar linking of EPIC cards on Saturday.

The GHMC has made arrangements for linking Aadhaar with EPIC cards at all the 7,051 polling stations in the GHMC limits on Saturday. Voters can visit their notified polling stations from 10 am to 4 pm for seeding of cards.  GHMC has speeded up field verification process, data entry and disposal of seeding since July 24 by deploying additional staff. Nearly 5.85 lakh Aadhaar cards were linked with EPIC in the last two weeks.

On Sunday, a special drive will be taken up in the GHMC limits where 400 Swachh Units will visit the localities and create awareness about linking of Aadhaar with EPIC cards. GHMC special officer Somesh Kumar said that the circles where the seeding percentage is low would be given priority.

7273 - Election Commission of India to synchronize Aadhaar with EPIC by 2016 - Biometric Update

Election Commission of India to synchronize Aadhaar with EPIC by 2016

By Stephen Mayhew

January 27, 2015 - 

The Election Commission of India has devised a plan to “embed” and synchronize the Aadhaar database with that of the Electoral Photo ID Card (EPIC) to help prevent duplication or forgery at election polls, according to a report by The Economic Times.

Chief Election Commissioner H S Brahma said the poll panel has already begun the process by coordinating with the Aadhaar’s parent body UIDAI. He anticipates the plan to be fully implemented by early 2016.

“We have decided to embed the Aadhaar data on our platform of the EPIC,” said Brahma. “The EPIC is given to every eligible voter of the country. Once we are able to do this, we will have a 100 percent purity of the (electoral) rolls.

“Once these two data come together there will be correct name, biometrics and address of an individual. The day we do that, 99 percent of complaints of political parties and candidates about electoral rolls will disappear. This should be done within the next 8-9 months or early 2016.”

The Aadhaar database stores all biometric data and other important details of an individual.

Currently, only 55 crore (550 million) of the total 84 crore (840 million) eligible voters in the country actually vote, said Brahma. The CEC hopes its plan to synchronize the Aadhaar database with the electorial photo ID card will help boost voter participation.

Former President A P J Abdul Kalam supports the CEC’s vision of elections and said that “bringing these systems on the Internet is no longer a dream and technical interface will ensure larger participation of voters.”

Previously reported, India’s Election Commission said that it will now use a voter’s 12-digit biometric-based Aadhaar number while updating electoral rolls across the country in an effort to curb fraudulent voting.

7261 - Aadhaar database to be embedded with that of EPIC by 2016: CEC - ZEE News

Aadhaar database to be embedded with that of EPIC by 2016: CEC

New Delhi: The Election Commission has initiated an ambitious plan to "embed" and synchronise the Aadhaar database with that of the Electoral Photo ID Card (EPIC) to minimise complaints of duplication or forgery of the electoral rolls.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) H S Brahma today said the poll panel has already started the process in this regard with the Aadhaar's parent body UIDAI and it expected that this task would be achieved by early 2016.

"We have decided to embed the Aadhaar data on our platform of the EPIC. The EPIC is given to every eligible voter of the country. Once we are able to do this, we will have a 100 per cent purity of the (electoral) rolls.

"Once these two data come together there will be correct name, biometrics and address of an individual. The day we do that, 99 per cent of complaints of political parties and candidates about electoral rolls will disappear. This should be done within the next 8-9 months or early 2016," he said while addressing the 5th National Voters' Day event here.

The Aadhaar database captures all essential biometrics and other vital details of an individual.

The CEC, while talking about participation of the citizens during elections, urged voters to enthusiastically go to the polling booth to vote in every election, including the forthcoming Assembly polls in Delhi on February 7.

He said voting is a "moral responsibility" on the part of the voters.

Brahma said out of a total 84 crore voters in the country, only 55 crore vote while the rest, about 30 crore, do not vote at a given time due to various reasons like accidental or deliberate absentism.

"It is everyone's moral duty and ethical responsibility to vote. The role of political parties is to elect a good leader and the role of voters is important. If you choose a good candidate or leader he will work for all of us," he said. 

PTI

First Published: Sunday, January 25, 2015, 18:07

5860 - Indian City to use Aadhaar numbers to Clean Voters Lists - Planet Biometrics

Indian City to use Aadhaar numbers to Clean Voters Lists

Officials in India’s fourth-largest city, Hyderabad, have revealed plans to link electoral photo ID cards with Aadhaar identity numbers, which are only issued following a biometric de-duplification.

The Election Commission of India-backed plan - the first of its kind in India - will see voting lists checked against Aadhaar numbers to delete duplicate, dead, or migrated voters.

Details of citizens whose Aadhaar details do not match or are not available, will be handed over to electoral officers who will visit these houses and collect information manually.

A special phone number will also be used so voters can link their names and addresses with Aadhaar numbers to update records. In 2014, the estimated population of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was 8.7 million.

As of mid-September, 674 million Aadhaar numbers had been generated out of the 1.2 billion needed for India’s population.

On 5 October, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao suggested at possible delay in holding elections in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, which were scheduled to be held in November or December, due to delimitation issues.

5859 - Aadhaar-Voter Photo Identity Card Link Mooted to Weed Out Bogus Voters

Aadhaar-Voter Photo Identity Card Link Mooted to Weed Out Bogus Voters

By Express News Service

Published: 14th October 2014 06:03 AM

HYDERABAD : For the first time in the country, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in coordination with Election Commission of India (ECI) proposes to link Aadhar unique identity card with election photo identity card (EPIC) numbers to weed out duplicate voters.

ECI had issued directions to take up the programme for seeding EPIC with Aadhar card in the GHMC limits as this is going to be first-of-its-kind exercise to be introduced in the country, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Bhanwarlal said.

The CEO instructed GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar to take up the scheme in all 24 assembly constituencies of GHMC in a time-bound manner. The linkage will be helpful in checking duplication of voters and also in voter enrolment.

The CEO along with Collectors of Hyderabad and Medak districts, GHMC Special Commissioners and Additional Commissioner (Elections) held a review meeting with all the EROs and AEROs for implementation of the proposed scheme in GHMC limits with immediate effect.

He interacted with officials and directed the Additional Commissioner (Elections) to take up a training programme to all the EROs and AEROs at Harihara Kala Bhavan on Tuesday and also to take up training programmes for all the booth level officers explaining them their role to play for having better results in the existing electoral rolls.

The GHMC Commissioner said they would take up the innovative scheme on a war-footing basis and the existing electoral roll list will be checked properly to delete duplicate, dead, migrated voters and all other voters duly linking up with Aadhar card data base.

Software of Aadhar card will be linked with EPIC duly involving the EROs, AEROs to implement the scheme and based on the information BLOs will be given instructions to visit door to door removing the duplicate, dead and migrated voters and to update the existing ones.

5858 - EPICs to be linked with Aadhaar cards - The Hindu

HYDERABAD, October 14, 2014

Updated: October 14, 2014 01:24 IST

EPICs to be linked with Aadhaar cards

In an innovative project to be taken up in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) jurisdiction, the Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) would be linked with Aadhaar cards to weed out duplicate EPIC cards. Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal on Monday said the initiative, at the directions of the Election Commission of India, would be first such one in the country.

At a meeting with Collectors of Hyderabad and Medak districts and GHMC officials here, he said the project to link EPIC with Aadhar card was being taken up as the latter has been taken up more effectively in the country. Though door-to-door surveys were taken up for many years, the voter enrolment has not been up to expectations and to increase the poll percentage, the linkage scheme is being implemented, he said.

The CEO directed the Additional Commissioner (Elections) to take up a training programme for all the EROs and AEROs at Harihara Kala Bhavan on Tuesday, according to a press release issued here by the GHMC. He also instructed GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar to take up this innovative project in all the 24 Assembly constituencies of GHMC jurisdiction in a time bound manner.

Mr. Somesh Kumar said the existing electoral roll would be attended to for deleting the duplicate, shifted, died and migrated - duly linking up with Aadhar card database. Based on the information from the linkage, the booth level officers and the support staff would go for door-to-door survey for removal of duplicates and update the existing electoral rolls, he said.

5857 - Hyderabad: Aadhaar to weed out bogus voters - Deccan Chromicle

Hyderabad: Aadhaar to weed out bogus voters

DC CORRESPONDENT | October 14, 2014, 09.10 am IST

In order to increase the poll percentage in the next elections and wipe out “fake” voter identity cards in Greater Hyderabad, GHMC will link Aadhaar numbers with the (EPIC) Electoral Photo Identity Card. Picture for representational purpose.

Hyderabad: In order to increase the poll percentage in the next elections and wipe out “fake” voter identity cards in Greater Hyderabad, GHMC will link Aadhaar numbers with the (EPIC) Electoral Photo Identity Card.

Details of citizens whose Aadhaar details do not match or are not available, will be handed over to the Booth Level Officer who will visit these houses and collect information manually.

That apart, a special number will be created to which people can send in their names, addresses and Aadhaar numbers for updating the records.

Those who do not have Aadhaar cards, can approach nearby Mee-Seva center to register and the unique number post registration will be taken.

The scheme will be taken up in all 24 Assembly constituencies. The existing electoral roll list will be updated by deleting duplicate, shifted, dead and migrated people and all other voters duly by linking the databases.

Initially, the scheme will be implemented in three-four constituencies and will later cover all 24 Assembly constituencies.

Chief Electoral Offi-cer Bhanwarlal infor-med that the Election Commission of India had given directions to take up the scheme. “As the Aadhaar scheme was taken up effectively, and since 90 to 95 per cent people have been covered in the entire country, linkage will be helpful in getting more voters enrolled in Telangana including 81.54 lakh voters in GHMC alone. The previous door-to-door survey for voters’ enrolment was not up to the mark due to which the poll percentage remained confined to 52 to 54 per cent in the last general elections. There is a need to increase the poll percentage in the coming elections.”

The linkage is a pilot project conceived by the Election Commissioner and following its results here it will be implemented in other states of the country.

Since Aadhaar has a unique number (biometric verifiable), this linkage with help weed out duplicity.

The date of publication of voters list to the Election Commission, which was schedule to be November 1, will be postponed in view of the linkage.

5526 - State makes EPIC number mandatory for ration cards - Deccan herald

State makes EPIC number mandatory for ration cards

Bangalore, May 7, 2014, DHNS:

In a move to weed out bogus ration cards and fake beneficiaries, the Food and Civil Supplies Department has made it mandatory for all ration cards holders in the State to register their Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number and also that of the adult members of their families with the department.

The department has also sought the Aadhaar card number (Unique Identity number - UID) of all beneficiaries, but has made furnishing of the same voluntary, following Supreme Court directions that Aadhaar card cannot be made mandatory for accessing public services and subsidies.

Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao said, initially, 40 lakh ration card holders who got their cards before 2010 and have not renewed the same should furnish the EPIC and UID numbers before May 30 this year, failing which their cards would be suspended.

As many as 20 lakh new applicants, who are yet to receive their cards, will also have to furnish their EPIC and UID numbers.

Cards will be distributed to them only after they furnish the numbers. Beneficiaries who have got their cards after 2010 will also have to provide EPIC and UID details, but no deadline has been set for them as of now.

While furnishing UID is not mandatory, applications/cards of beneficiaries who provide the same would be given priority and processed faster, Rao said.

Applicants who provide UID number will not be asked to provide their biometric details. Henceforth, no introducer will be required while applying for a new ration card.

The EPIC and UID numbers need to be furnished via mobile phone (see box).

Food and Civil Supplies Department Commissioner Harsh Gupta said these numbers, once collected, would be electronically validated by comparing with the database of the Election Commission of India and the Unique Identification Authority of India.

The mobile phone, from which the information was sent, would be registered for the particular ration card. Persons sending wrong information willfully would be liable for criminal prosecution.

Ration card holders who do not send the required information would be placed under suspect category and would be taken up for verification through house visits, Gupta said.

The department has also linked all fair price shops to the jurisdictional polling station.
Gupta said biometric weighing machines would be installed in 5,500 fair price shops in Chikmagalur, Tumkur, Dharwad, Mysore, Belgaum and Gulbarga districts in the next three months.

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5516 - Voter card must to obtain ration cards - The Hindu

BANGALORE, May 8, 2014

Updated: May 8, 2014 02:20 IST

Voter card must to obtain ration cards

Yet another attempt to weed out bogus ration cards

The Department of Food and Civil Supplies, in an attempt to weed out bogus ration cards, has directed all existing cardholders, apart from fresh applicants, to immediately submit their EPIC card (voter identity card) numbers.

If the applicants have an Aadhaar card, the UID number of all the family members forming part of that ration card could also be submitted. This will help save the cardholders from going through a detailed scrutiny, said Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Tuesday.

Addressing press persons here, he said the 40 lakh people who had obtained cards before 2010 and had not renewed their cards should submit the EPIC and UID numbers before June 30 failing which their cards will be suspended.

Of the 20 lakh new applications, four lakh had been processed and are ready to be issued.

People can submit the EPIC and UID numbers by sending an SMS from their mobile phones to 9212357123. Existing cardholders should first register their correct mobile number by sending an SMS — RCMOB RC number or RCMOB application acknowledgement number (for new applicants).

After this, they have to send the EPIC number from the same mobile phone by typing RCEPIC EPIC number. Separate messages (SMSs) should be sent to provide numbers of each family member.

The same process should be followed to submit the UID number (RCUID UID number) of every family member. Once collected, these numbers would be electronically validated by comparing with the database of Election Commission of India and Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Urging people to submit correct information, the Minister said that non-submission of the details would entail suspension of the card. Subsequently, such cards would be taken up for verification through house visits.

People who do not have mobile phones can use the phones of their close contacts or neighbours.

However, the same mobile number cannot be used for more than three ration cards. They can even visit the department’s office and provide details in person.

Harsh Gupta, Commissioner, Department of Food and Civil Supplies, said that a new software had been developed incorporating the amended process. The new software has been evolved primarily to check bogus cards.