Aadhaar-Voter ID link row: Parties now opposing Election Laws (Amendment) Bill once sought the same

Back in 2018, political parties urged the Election Commission to link Aadhaar numbers with electors' detail

The Opposition seems to have shot itself on the foot with its protests against the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021. While many political leaders were quick to slam the government for pushing the Bill, which aims to link Aadhar data with Voter ID of citizens, through the Lok Sabha in just 26 minutes, some of them, perhaps, forgot that they were instrumental in this piece of legislation coming to the fore.

Let's go back to August 27, 2018. The Election Commission of India had convened a meeting with all recognised political parties at the national and state level in New Delhi to discuss various electoral reforms. In total, seven national parties and 34 state parties were present in the meeting. Among the many suggestions put forth as electoral reforms included one in which political parties urged the Election Commission to link Aadhaar numbers with electors' detail. This, the parties said, would ensure better electoral roll management.

Opposing the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Congress party has said that linking the Aadhaar with Voter ID is beyond the purview of the Aadhaar legislation. Besides, the party also contented that Aadhaar has repeatedly proven to be vulnerable to data breaches and contains additional information pertaining to an individual. The Congress party further says that linking Aadhaar to Voter ID would allow voter profiling that could be used for targeted campaigning, which is in violation of the right to vote guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.

But the Congress finds itself in an embarrassing position with its doublespeak. In April 2018, the Congress party had reached out to then Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat suggested that Aadhar card should be linked to voter ID to counter fake voting ahead of the November assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh.

Several social media users too pointed out the Opposition's hypocrisy when it comes to reforms. While many chastised the Opposition as comprising of those who oppose everything that they once stood for, others slammed them for derailing reforms citing national interest just to keep themselves relevant in politics.