Telangana voter registration crosses 1 lakh amid concerns over Aadhaar-based e-sign mandate
HYDERABAD: Online enumeration form registrations in Telangana have crossed one lakh during the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR). However, concerns are growing over mandatory Aadhaar-based authentication and e-sign requirements in the voter registration process.
Critics question the Election Commission of India’s stance that Aadhaar serves only as an identity proof and cannot establish citizenship, domicile, or date of birth. The Commission has also said Aadhaar alone cannot decide voter eligibility.
Despite this, stakeholders are raising concerns that Aadhaar-linked e-authentication may influence application processing, delays, or even rejection in the online system.
Activists warn of exclusion risks
M.A. Mujeeb Ayyub, founder of ADALAH – Access to Justice Network, said electoral verification can rely on alternative documents and field checks. He argued that Aadhaar should not be compulsory for voter verification.
He warned that heavy dependence on Aadhaar-based matching may exclude genuine voters who already hold valid electoral records.
Digital privacy researcher Srinivas Kodali also raised concerns. He said Aadhaar linking could lead to voter exclusion during the SIR exercise in Telangana.
He cited earlier cases where nearly 40 lakh voters were removed in Telangana in 2015 after Aadhaar–Voter ID linkage. The Supreme Court later halted that exercise. He also pointed to reported voting issues during the 2018 Assembly elections.
Demands for alternative verification
Representations have been submitted to Chief Electoral Officer C. Sudharshan Reddy. They demand removal of mandatory e-sign and Aadhaar linking for online voter registration.
P. Rajesh Kumar, chairman of the PCC Election Commission Coordination Committee, said authorities should accept alternative documents. These include scanned self-attested copies of passports, age proof, and residence proof.
He said the e-sign requirement, which often depends on Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers, is creating bottlenecks. He warned it could disenfranchise eligible voters, especially Non-Resident Indians who may not have active Aadhaar-linked numbers.
He also argued that Aadhaar remains voluntary under existing rules. Making it effectively mandatory through system design contradicts that principle.
