Linking Aadhaar-EPIC: HC issues notice to UIDAI, Centre

The Madras High Court on Friday issued notices to the UIDAI and the Union government over a PIL seeking to link Aadhaar with electoral rolls and voter identification card to curb malpractices during elections.

During the hearing on Friday, the Election Commission, represented by its counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan, submitted that it has no objection to linking Aadhaar number with voter ID. But Rajagopalan also told the court that the latest Supreme Court judgement on Aadhaar should also be taken into consideration.

The division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice P T Asha issued notices to both the UIDAI and the Union government asking them to file their responses in two weeks. Later, the bench posted the case for further hearing to October 29.

The court was hearing a plea moved by M L Ravi - president of Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi – seeking to link Aadhaar with voter identification cards.

The petitioner said issues like malpractices in addition and deletion of voters’ name from the list can be resolved amicably if the cards are linked with each other.