Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa urges EC to clarify ‘abnormal surge’ in voter numbers
New Delhi: Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to explain the abnormal rise in the number of electors during recent elections, including those held in Maharashtra and Delhi.
In an interview with the New Indian Express, Lavasa said the surge in registered voters has raised valid concerns, particularly from opposition parties, regarding the integrity of the electoral rolls.
“Identifying the voter’s uniqueness is the key because one person is not supposed to have more than one Aadhaar,” Lavasa said, adding, “The EC must explain why the number of electors registered increased abnormally.”
He further noted that it remains unclear how many individuals might be registered in more than one location. “That is one part of the story. The question is how to de-duplicate them if these people were already enrolled in another place and were also enrolled here,” he said.
Pointing to the scale of the issue, Lavasa mentioned that there are already 98 crore registered voters in the country. He said the Election Commission is currently in consultation with political parties and technical departments to arrive at a solution.
According to Lavasa, Aadhaar could be used effectively to detect duplicate entries due to its biometric identification capabilities. However, he was firm that the right to vote should not be contingent upon possessing an Aadhaar card.
“In my view, Aadhaar is the only document that can be used for de-duplication. But the Aadhaar Act does not make having an Aadhaar mandatory. The right to vote is not dependent on having an Aadhaar. That should be separated,” he said.
He clarified that Aadhaar can serve as an administrative tool to clean the electoral rolls, but it must not become a barrier for eligible voters to be included in the list.
Lavasa, who served as Election Commissioner from 2018 to 2020, was known for advocating transparency and electoral reforms during his tenure.
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Expertise Group CEO Ashif Karnire meets PM Modi in Saudi Arabia
Jeddah: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made an important visit to Saudi Arabia, reaffirming the strong bonds between the two nations. As part of his diplomatic outreach, PM Modi engaged with prominent Indian business leaders based in the Kingdom, acknowledging their pivotal role in fostering economic growth and bilateral cooperation.
Among the key participants at the high-level meeting were Ashif Karnire, Chief Executive Officer of Expertise Group, and Anshif Karnire, Chief Strategy Officer, who met Prime Minister Modi during his visit. Their presence underscored the dynamic entrepreneurial contributions of the Indian diaspora to Saudi Arabia’s evolving economic landscape.
Other notable Indian business leaders in attendance included Yusuf Ali, Managing Director of Lulu Hypermarket, and Alisha Moopen, Group CEO of Aster Healthcare both represent influential enterprises that have played integral roles in the Kingdom's development across retail and healthcare sectors.
During the discussions, the leaders explored the significant contributions of the Indian community to Saudi Arabia, acknowledging their influential roles in the local economy.
