Lok Sabha Question No. 2222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Single Voter List
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Bhagirath Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2222

TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, 29 TH  JULY, 2022

Single Voter List

## 2222. SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Law  Commission  of  India  has  suggested  to  prepare single voter list for all level of elections in its 255th report and if so, the progress made in this regard so far;
- (b)   whether the Government proposes to prepare the single voter list in the country by making constitutional amendments under Article 243A and 243Z(a) and if so, the time by which it is likely to be done;
- (c)   whether  the  Government  proposes  to  take  concrete  action  by instructing  the  constitutional  institutions,  Election  Commission and State Election Commission for conducting elections by single voter list and if so, the time by which it is likely to be done and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  address  problem  of  bogus and  duplicate  voters  by  linking  Voter  Identity  Card  with  Aadhaar Card and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a)  and  (c):    Yes  sir,  the  Law  Commission  of  India  in  its  255 report  has endorsed/recommended  inclusion  of  common  electoral  rolls  at  elections conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the State Election Commissions  (SECs).    As  per  section  13D  of  the  Representation  of  the People Act, 1950, the electoral roll for every parliamentary constituency shall consist of electoral rolls for all the assembly constituencies comprised within that parliamentary constituency and it shall be necessary to prepare or revise th

separately  the  electoral  roll  for  both  Lok  Sabha  and  the  State  Assembly Legislative Elections as of now. Electoral  rolls  for  conduct  of  elections  to  the  urban  local  bodies  and panchayat raj institutions are prepared by the respective SECs.   As informed by  the  ECI,  26  States  and  08  Union  territories  are  presently  using  the electoral roll data prepared by the ECI for preparing the electoral roll for local bodies/panchayat elections.  The said proposal is under examination with the concerned stakeholders. As  per  article  324  of  the  Constitution,  the  superintendence,  direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and  the conduct of, all elections to Parliament and to the Legislature of all the States and election to the offices of the President and Vice-President vests in the ECI.  Further, as per article 243K  and  243ZA  of  the  Constitution, the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Panchayats and Municipalities vests in the respective SECs. (b): No such proposal to amend the Constitution is under consideration. (d):

In  order  to  curb  the  menace  of  duplicate  entry  in  electoral  roll,  the Election  Laws  (Amendment)  Act,  2021  (49  of  2021)  has  been  enacted  by Parliament by amending section 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which provides for linking of Aadhaar with Voter ID.  It is a matter of fact  that  citizens  moves  from  one  location  to  another  for  various  purposes and  ECI  facilitates  entry  in  the  electoral  roll  in  all  cases  without  much difficulty.  In cases, already registered electors do not disclose their previous entries which lead to multiple entries, which is against the law.  Aadhaar is available with most of the electors or eligible citizens, hence, it will be used to facilitate the electors in having single entry in the electoral roll.

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