Election Commission wants electoral rolls to be error free: CEC Nasim Zaidi

Seeking to check multiple entries in electoral rolls and to make them error-free, the Election Commission has embarked on an ambitious project to link Aadhar numbers with voters' electoral data. National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP) was launched throughout the country from March 3 with the prime objective of bringing a totally error free and authenticated electoral roll. "So far, 13 crore voters have applied to link their Aadhar numbers with their entries in electoral rolls. While 10 crore requests have been received through various means, three crore people have applied online," Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said.

He said during the programme, EPIC data of electors will be linked with Aadhar data of UIDAI for the purpose of authentication. NERPAP will focus on improving image quality of electors along with sorting issues like corrections of errors. "We started this exercise in what is a respite period for the Commission as there are no elections. Usually such programmes are undertaken in October. But it would have led to a waste of precious time," explained Zaidi.

Besides Aadhar seeding, the Commission is also using a sophisticated software -- image assessment software -- to detect multiple entries and it will be used in Bihar where assembly polls are expected in September-October. Under NERPAP, electors have been provided the facility to feed their respective Aadhar number through SMS, email, mobile application and National Voters Service Portal (NVSP) using web services through EC website.

Electors can also feed Aadhar number by making a call at 1950 to state call centres or by submitting the details of Aadhar number and EPIC number in a hard copy of duly filled up form along with photocopy of both the documents -- Election photo I Card and Aadhar card. Besides, collection and feeding of Aadhar will also be done by Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) by organising special camps, voter facilitation centres, e-seva centres and citizen service centres authorised by the DEOs. Booth Level Officers will also collect the details of electors during door to door survey.

Under NERPAP, facility has also been provided for voluntarily disclosure of multiple entries by voters. The electors with multiple registrations in electoral rolls are advised to fill Form-7 for deletion of their names from the places except where they ordinarily reside. Zaidi said the exercise to seed Aadhar number with electoral details is a purely voluntary exercise. "The Supreme Court has already made it clear that lack of Aadhar number cannot be a ground to deny service to a person. Therefore, the exercise is purely voluntary in nature," he said.