SC dismisses contempt plea against ECI for insisting on Aadhaar details

SC dismisses contempt plea against ECI for insisting on Aadhaar details

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the Election Commission of India (ECI) for not changing the forms that insist on furnishing Aadhaar numbers by new voters for enrolment.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice Manoj Misra, and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma declined to initiate contempt proceedings against the poll panel while taking into note the ECI’s statement that it was addressing the issue.

The petitioner said despite the poll panel’s assurance in 2023 that Aadhaar numbers were not obligatory for new voter registration, the forms remained unchanged.

The ECI on September 21, 2023, had given an undertaking to the top court that it would make appropriate clarificatory changes in Forms 6 and 6B, which sought Aadhaar details for electoral roll authentication for new voters.

The poll panel had said that the submission of Aadhaar numbers was not mandatory as per Rule 26-B of the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules 2022.

The response of poll panel came on a plea filed by G Niranjan, senior vice-president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, who highlighted issues with regard to Forms 6 and 6B.

The Congress leader, in his plea, had questioned the validity of the requirement of furnishing the Aadhaar details with Form 6 (application form for new voters) and Form 6B (Letter of Information of Aadhaar number for the purpose of electoral roll authentication) of the ECI forms for registration in e-roll.

Form 6B facilitated voters in informing their Aadhaar numbers for electoral roll authentication. However, the Aadhaar-voter card linkage is strictly voluntary, as per the new law.