Centre brings 4 crucial decisions regarding voting; Aadhaar-linked ID, 4 registration attempts and more

By Team Newsable | First Published Dec 15, 2021, 7:22 PM IST

The Election Commission has already written to the government, urging many election reforms, such as making paid news a crime and raising the penalty for filing a false affidavit to two years in prison.

The Union Cabinet passed an electoral reform bill on Wednesday, authorising the connection of Aadhaar to voter ID cards — one of the fundamental reforms proposed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Aside from that, persons exercising their franchise for the first time will have up to four turns to register. The Election Commission has already written to the government, urging many election reforms, such as making paid news a crime and raising the penalty for filing a false affidavit to two years in prison.

The ECI had written to the law ministry in June of this year, demanding that it "immediately" take up these outstanding electoral changes, which included enabling first-time voters to register numerous times in a year. According to reports, the administration was considering over 40 electoral alternatives.

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As many states, notably Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the new voting reforms prepare for assembly elections next year. Four main changes are being implemented to enhance electoral registers, make voting more inclusive, give the EC greater power, and eliminate duplication.

According to the EC, its pilot initiatives have been excellent and effective, and this phase will weed out duplication and enhance the electoral rolls. There is another suggestion to allow more people to register to vote. For that, beginning January 1 of the next year, first-time voters turning 18 will be able to register four times a year, with four different cut-off dates. Until recently, they could only do this once a year.

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The EC also voted to make the statute gender-neutral for service officers, enabling the service officer's husband to vote. This capability is currently available only to the wife of a male military voter and not to the spouse of a female service voter.

It has also granted the EC the authority to take over any venue for elections. There were others who objected to taking over schools and other vital institutions during election season. These critical electoral changes will be introduced by the administration during the current Winter Session of Parliament.

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