Voter List Tips: Voter lists will no longer be misused, Election Commission launches e-sign facility..

Voter Aadhaar e-sign Feature: The Election Commission (EC) has made a major change to the online voter ID service. Verification using the mobile number linked to Aadhaar will now be required to add, correct, or delete a name from the voter list. To achieve this, the EC has launched the e-sign feature on its ECINet portal and app. The Commission made this change following allegations of the deletion of thousands of voters in the Aland Assembly constituency in Karnataka. Let's explore what an e-signature is, how it will prevent misuse of the voter list, and what needs to be done to delete and update a voter ID.

What is the e-signature feature?

E-sign is an online electronic signature service provided by the Government of India through the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) that allows users to digitally sign documents using their Aadhaar number. This feature has now been implemented as the verification process for deleting or correcting voter IDs.

Will the voter list be misused?
Previously, forms could only be submitted by linking their mobile number to their Voter ID (EPIC), which often resulted in incorrect numbers being used. Now, under the e-sign feature, applicants will be required to enter their Aadhaar number and receive an OTP on their Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Only after consenting can the form be submitted. Only after the e-sign process is complete will the applicant be redirected to the ECINet portal to submit the form. This rule applies to Form 6 (new registration), Form 7 (deletion/objection), and Form 8 (correction).

Why the change?
Thousands of fake voter deletion applications were reported in Karnataka's Aland assembly constituency. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised the issue on September 18. An investigation found that only 24 of the 6,018 deletion requests were genuine, with the rest being incorrect. In many cases, the mobile numbers used for OTPs did not belong to actual voters. This incident forced the EC to tighten security and verification procedures, leading to these changes.

Physical verification will be required.
The EC states that no voter's name can be deleted online directly. Physical verification by the respective Booth Level Officer (BLO) and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) is required. Voters will be given a full opportunity to present their case in every case.

What is ECINet?
ECINet, launched earlier this year, consolidates approximately 40 existing apps and portals, including ERONet. Through this platform, voters can easily submit online applications, and officials can process them. The e-sign feature has been added to this platform to ensure transparency and security.

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