Tue Mar 18 13:18:29 UTC 2025: ## Election Commission to Begin Aadhaar-Voter Card Linking, Emphasizes Voluntary Nature

**New Delhi, [Date]** – The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced today that it will begin linking voter ID cards with Aadhaar numbers, but stressed the process will be entirely voluntary and adhere strictly to existing laws and Supreme Court directives.

Following a meeting with key government officials, including the Union home secretary and representatives from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the ECI clarified that the linkage will be governed by Article 326 of the Constitution and sections 23(4), 23(5), and 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, as well as a 2023 Supreme Court ruling.

The ECI emphasized that Aadhaar only verifies identity, while voting rights are exclusively for Indian citizens. Technical consultations between ECI and UIDAI experts will commence shortly to implement the linkage.

The government has reiterated that participation is entirely voluntary; no deadlines or targets have been set, and those who choose not to link their Aadhaar details will not be removed from the electoral rolls. The amendment to the Representation of the People Act, 2021, allows electoral registration officers to request Aadhaar information for identity verification, but only on a voluntary basis.

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