Trinamool Congress Calls for Suspension of EPIC-Aadhaar Linking Process

The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to postpone linking Voter ID cards (EPICs) with Aadhaar numbers. They ask for this delay until key concerns are resolved. On Friday, a memorandum signed by Derek O’Brien, AITC Parliamentary Party Leader in Rajya Sabha, along with Kalyan Banerjee, Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, and Sagarika Ghose, was submitted to the ECI. This follows an earlier meeting between a 10-member AITC delegation and ECI officials on March 11.

Concerns Over the Voluntary Nature of Aadhaar-EPIC Linking

The party raised concerns about the voluntary nature of Aadhaar-EPIC linking. They questioned whether voters are adequately informed about their right to opt out. The ECI had assured the Supreme Court on September 18, 2023, that Aadhaar submission was not mandatory. However, AITC pointed out that Form 6B, used for linking, does not clearly communicate this to voters. It does not provide an explicit option to decline Aadhaar submission.

The memorandum also questioned why the ECI sought approval from the Union Government. It asked why they chose this route to make the linking voluntary instead of approaching the Supreme Court. This query arose when the government reportedly rejected its proposal.

Concerns About Data Integrity and Fake Aadhaars

AITC also cited a 2022 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report. It highlighted flaws in Aadhaar data management. These include authentication errors, mismatched records, and duplicate entries. The report warned of incomplete information in Aadhaar numbers issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). This has led to cloned, fake, or duplicate Aadhaar cards.

“The lack of proper documentation and biometric mismatches have led to multiple Aadhaar cards being issued to the same individual. This was stated in the memorandum.” AITC further questioned how the ECI would prevent fake and duplicate Aadhaar numbers from being linked to EPICs. They warned that this could lead to ghost voters being added to the electoral rolls.

Duplicate Voter IDs: A Long-Standing Issue

AITC Chairperson Mamata Banerjee had previously highlighted the issue of duplicate EPICs on February 27. In response, the ECI admitted in a press note on March 7. They acknowledged that multiple Voter ID cards had been issued to individuals across India since 2000. The commission promised to resolve this issue within three months.

Given this acknowledgment, AITC questioned the logic behind proceeding with Aadhaar linking without first addressing duplicate EPICs. The party demanded transparency about the total number of duplicate EPICs. They also sought clarity on the steps being taken to prevent misuse.

AITC’s Final Stand: Linking Aadhaar with EPIC is Premature

AITC concluded that the Aadhaar-EPIC linking initiative is premature and could create more complications rather than resolving existing issues. The party insisted that the ECI suspend the process until all concerns—including data security, voter privacy, and duplication—are fully addressed.